Oh how it cut! Olive grew flushed and white, then her brows came together darkly and her lips shut tight. "Ernestine is too frivolous to live," she said grimly; then looked straight off into the evening sky and was silent. But down to her proud, sensitive heart she was hurt, and in it was the longing wonder, "Why don't she come to me and ask as she does of Bea and the others. I would loan it to her;" but this feeling she fiercely refused to countenance, and shut her heart grimly, as she did her lips. The broad old hall that ran clear through the house was growing quite dark with shadows; the game of chess had ended, and the players left the window, and presently Olive turned slowly and went into the house. Through the sitting-room came a lively chatter, and as she passed the door some one shouted, "Halloo!" "Well I'm not deaf. Do you want me?" "Pining to have you; come sit on my lap." Olive passed in, but disregarded the hospitably inclined young lady who lounged in a big chair, and passed on to a dusky corner, where she curled up on the lounge. "Olive," volunteered Kittie, who was in the window-sill, "mama has a plan; she's going to tell us after supper, and we've all been trying to guess what it is; what do you think?" "I don't think anything." "What a glorious lack of curiosity," laughed Kat. "I suppose I'm just as contented as any of you with your guessing," returned Olive. "Well I wish," said Ernestine with an energy that brought instant attention, "I wish papa was going to increase our allowances. Two dollars a month is a shameful little." "But it amounts to ten dollars when paid to five girls," added Beatrice quickly, "besides Jean's twenty-five cents." "A girl isn't supposed to spend two dollars every month for foolishness," said Olive severely. "You might call it a little if you had to live on it." "I exist on my pretty things almost as much as I do on my food," answered Ernestine flippantly, "and what does two dollars buy?" "Suppose you go awhile without spending it, then you'll have more," suggested Kittie practically. "Yes," added Kat with a laugh. "Kittie saved fifty cents last month, and I saved just three; why _don't_ you do as we do and economize." "How much have each of you saved altogether since papa began paying us?" asked Beatrice. "I have nine dollars and thirty-four cents." "Whew!" whistled Kittie. "I've got just three. I tell you caramels are disastrous to my pocket money." "I wear out my gloves, love butter-scotch, and lost my head over a certain pair of slippers; consequence, two dollars and eight cents in my treasury," moaned Kat, with great self reproach. "Well, I do everything that is frivolous, and unwise, and extravagant, but I have a good time, and the result is that I haven't a cent, and am in debt a dollar," laughed Ernestine, kicking out her pretty foot with its fancy little slipper, as if in defiance to anyone's criticisms or reproofs.