"I dare say something ought to be done at some time," said Mr. Grey, who knew that he would be told, when the evening was over, that he would give away all his substance to that man if he were asked. "Papa has not had a new pair of trousers this year," said Sophy. "Except those green ones he wore at the races," said Georgina. "Hold your tongue, miss!" said her mother. "That was a pair I made up for him and sent them to the man to get pressed." "When the hundred a year was arranged for all our dresses," said Amelia, "not a word was said about papa. Of course, papa is a trouble." "I don't see that he is more of a trouble than any one else," said Sophy. "Uncle John would not like not to have any clothes." "No, I should not, my dear." "And his own income is all given up to the house uses." Here Sophy touched imprudently on a sore subject. His "own" income consisted of what had been saved out of his wife's fortune, and was thus named as in opposition to the larger sum paid to Mrs. Carroll by Mr. Grey. There was one hundred and fifty pounds a year coming from settled property, which had been preserved by the lawyer's care, and which was regarded in the family as "papa's own." It certainly is essential for respectability that something should be set apart from a man's income for his wearing apparel; and though the money was, perhaps, improperly so designated, Dolly would not have objected had she not thought that it had already gone to the race-course,--in company with the green trousers. She had her own means of obtaining information as to the Carroll family. It was very necessary that she should do so, if the family was to be kept on its legs at all. "I don't think any good can come from discussing what my uncle does with the money." This was Dolly's first speech. "If he is to have it, let him have it, but let him have as little as possible." "I never heard anybody so cross as you always are to papa," said Sophy. "Your cousin Dorothy is very fortunate," said Mrs. Carroll. "She does not know what it is to want for anything." "She never spends anything--on herself," said her father. "It is Dolly's only fault that she won't." "Because she has it all done for her," said Amelia. Dolly had gone back to her book, and disdained to make any farther reply. Her father felt that quite enough had been said about it, and was prepared to give the twenty pounds, under the idea that he might be thought to have made a stout fight upon the subject. "He does want them very badly--for decency's sake," said the poor wife, thus winding up her plea. Then Mr. Grey got out his check-book and wrote the check for twenty pounds. But he made it payable, not to Mr. but to Mrs. Carroll. "I suppose, papa, nothing can be done about Mr. Carroll." This was said by Dolly as soon as the family had withdrawn. "In what way 'done,' my dear?" "As to settling some farther sum for himself." "He'd only spend it, my dear." "That would be intended," said Dolly.