Barbara felt more wretched about her sister’s confession than she was willing to let Mollie know.  She thought if Mollie could once get to sleep, she could then puzzle out some method by which they could meet this debt.  For fifty dollars did look like an immense sum to the two poor Thurston girls.

“But, Bab dear, I have not told you the worst,” Mollie added in tones of despair.

“Mollie, what do you mean?” poor Bab asked, really frightened this time.

“Harriet can’t let me owe the money to her.  Something perfectly awful has happened to Harriet, too.  Promise me you will never tell, not even Ruth!  Well, Harriet thought she could lend me the money.  But, the day after we got home from the dressmaker’s, that deceitful Madame Louise wrote poor Harriet the most awful note.  She said that Harriet owed her such a dreadfully big bill, that she simply would not wait for her money any longer.  She declared if Harriet did not pay her at once she would take her bill straight to Mr. Hamlin and demand the money.  Now Harriet is almost frightened to death.  She says her father will never forgive her, if he finds out how deeply in debt she is, and that he would not let her go out into society again this winter.  Of course, Harriet went to see Madame Louise.  She begged her for a little more time, and the dressmaker consented to let us have a week.  But she says that at the end of that time she must have the money from me and from Harriet.  Harriet is dreadfully distressed.  She simply can’t advance the money to me for, even if the dividend she expects comes in time, she will have to pay the money on her own account.  Oh, Bab, what can we do?  I just can’t have Mr. Hamlin find out what I have done!  He is so stern; he would just send me home in disgrace, and then what would Mother and Aunt Sallie and Mr. Stuart say?  I shall just die of shame!”

“Mr. Hamlin must not know,” Barbara answered, when she could find her breath.  Somehow her own voice sounded unfamiliar, it was so hoarse and strained.  Yet Bab knew she must save Mollie.  How was she to do it?

“Do you think, Bab,” Mollie asked, “that we could ask Ruth to lend us the money?  I should be horribly ashamed to tell her what I have done.  But Ruth is so sweet, and she could lend us the money without any trouble.”

“I have thought of that, Mollie,” Barbara answered.  “But, oh, we could not ask Ruth for the money!  It is because she has been so awfully good to us, that I can’t ask her.  She has already done so much for us and she would be so pleased to help us now that somehow I would rather do most anything than ask her.  Don’t you feel the same way, Mollie?”

“Yes, I do,” Mollie agreed.  “Only I just can’t think what else we can do, Bab.  I have worried and worried until I am nearly desperate.  We have only one week in which to get hold of the money, Bab.”

“Yes, I know.  But go to sleep now, Mollie.  You are too tired to try to think any more.  I will find some way out of the difficulty.  Don’t worry any more about it now.”  Bab kissed her sister’s burning cheeks, whereat Mollie could only throw her arms about Barbara and cry:  “Oh, Bab, I am so sorry and so ashamed!  I shall never forget this as long as I live.”