"Hush! it is nothing," he whispered, frightenedly, glancing over his shoulder lest any one should see. "But tell me—tell me—why did you say you starved when you had all that gold?"
"I did starve," she answered him.
"But why—with all that gold?"
"It was another's."
The old man stared at her, trembling and amazed.
"What—what! die of hunger and keep your hands off money in your girdle?"
A dreary smile came on her face.
"What! is that inhuman too?"
"Inhuman?" he murmured. "Oh, child—oh, child, tell any tale you will, save such a tale as that!"
And he stole away sorrowful, because sure that for his fruit of charity she had given him back a lie.