But Bel was so astonished at the sudden change,--it was so funny in its meek manifestation,--that she forgot her wrath, and laughed outright. "Why, Auntie!" she cried. "Your beautiful Bartholomew, who understood, and let alone!" Aunt Blin shook her head. "I don't know. I _thought_ so. But--I've no--_con_-fidence in him! You'd better hang the cage up high. And I'll go out for the muffins." Bel heard her saying it over again, as she went down the stairs. "No, I've no--_con_-fidence in him!" CHAPTER VIII. TO HELP: SOMEWHERE. There was an administratrix's notice tacked up on the great elm-tree by the Bank door, in Upper Dorbury Village. All indebted to the estate of Joseph Ingraham were called upon to make payment,--and all having demands against the same to present accounts,--to Abigail S. Ingraham. The bakery was shut up. The shop and house-blinds were closed upon the street. The bright little garden at the back was gay with summer color; roses, geraniums, balsams, candytuft; crimson and purple, and white and scarlet flashed up everywhere. But Mrs. Ingraham had on a plain muslin cap, instead of a ribboned one such as she was used to wear; and Dot was in a black calico dress; they sat in the kitchen window together, ripping up some breadths of faded cloth that they were going to send to the dye-house. Ray was in the front room, looking over papers. Mrs. Ingraham's name appeared in the notices, but Ray really did the work, all except the signing of the necessary documents. Everything was very different here, the moment Joseph Ingraham's breath was gone from his body. Everything that had stood in his name stood now in the name of an "estate." Large or small, an estate has always to be settled. There had been a man already applying to buy out the remainder of the bakery lease,--house and all. He was ready to take it for eight years, including the one it had yet to run in the present occupancy; he would pay them a considerable bonus for relinquishing this and the goodwill. Ray had stood at the helm and brought the vessel to port; that was different from undertaking another voyage. She did not see that she had any right to hazard her mother's and sister's little means, and incur further risks which she had not actual capital to meet, for the ambition, or even possible gain, of carrying on a business. She understood it perfectly; she could have done it; she could, perhaps, have worked out some of her own new ideas; if she and Dot had been brothers, instead of sisters, it would very likely have been what they would have done. There was enough to pay all debts and leave them upwards of a thousand dollars apiece. But Ray sat down and thought it all over. She remembered that they _were_ women, and she saw how that made all the difference. "Suppose either of us should wish to marry? Dot might, at any rate."