"So I will, all in good time, my pretty little dear. You shall have the money if you are willing to wait, say a month." "There's no use at all in that," said Kitty, her voice sounding faint and far away. "I am afraid there must be, as far as that eight pounds is concerned. The fact is, Sam is speculating with the money, and when we get it back it will be doubled. Elma and I will divide the profits between us, and you shall have your eight pounds back. Now, I think I have told you everything except--" "And, having told me, I wish you would go away," said Kitty. "I don't know that you have bettered matters in any way. Of course I am sorry for Elma; but it is only right that you should know something. It would be well also for Elma to know the truth. I told her yesterday when I went to your house that I would keep her secret until after morning school." "Good gracious! You have not blurted out the truth?" "Wait till you hear. When I was at school this morning I was--oh so miserable! I could not help thinking of--But never mind; you would not understand." "No, no, of course not; pray proceed." "I was thinking how soon I might tell." "Nice sort of creature you are!" "Why will you interrupt me?" said Kitty. "But then I looked at Elma, and I saw that she seemed very anxious and miserable; and wretched as I was, I made up my mind to be kind to her. I said to myself I will keep her secret; and--and I wrote her a note to tell her so. You would not understand if I said any more; but--but immediately after morning school she--she was false to me; utterly false. You ask her when you see her how she received that letter I wrote to her at the risk of getting into terrible trouble myself. I have been angry, furious, beside myself; and now Miss Sherrard knows everything." "You don't mean it?" said Carrie. Her florid face had turned perfectly white. She bit her lip and looked out of the window. After a time she looked back again at Kitty, and said slowly: "You are very cruel, and you have ruined Elma; but after all it is partly my fault. I ought not to have taken that money. Now, look here, shall I tell you what I really came for to-day?" "If you would do so quickly and then go." "You won't be in such a hurry to part from me when you know the truth. Now, then, listen. You want some money; I think I see a way to getting it for you." "Do you really?" "Yes, I do; that is, if you on your part will do what I want." "I will do anything to get the money. I want to send it to Laurie if I can this evening. There's nothing I would not give you." "I will remember that small promise presently," said Carrie in a frank voice. "But now let me tell you what my plan is. You have a great many clothes, have you not?" "Yes; but please don't bother me about them now. I was always fond of pretty dress; but I should not care if I had to wear rags at the present moment if only I might get that eight pounds."