Mrs. Wilson eyed Bab, with evident suspicion.  “Why are you so anxious to see the directory?” she inquired.  “If you wish to know a particular address why do you not ask your friends, the Hamlins, about it?”

“That is something that I cannot explain to you, Mrs. Wilson,” said Barbara, a look of fear leaping into her eyes that was not lost on her companion.

“Very well, if you cannot explain yourself, I shall lay the whole matter before Mr. Hamlin the instant he comes home,” returned Mrs. Wilson cruelly.  “It looks very suspicious, to say the least, when a guest takes advantage of his absence to prowl among his private papers.”

Tears of humiliation sprang to Barbara’s eyes.  It was bad enough to have Mrs. Wilson doubt her integrity, but it would be infinitely worse if stern Mr. Hamlin were told of her visit to his study.  Bab felt that he would be sure to believe that she was deliberately meddling with matters that did not concern her.  She looked at Mrs. Wilson.  The forbidding expression on her face left no doubt in Bab’s mind that the older woman would carry out her threat.  Suddenly it flashed across the young girl that perhaps if Mrs. Wilson really knew the truth she would agree to drop the affair without saying anything to Mr. Hamlin.

“Perhaps it will be better after all for me to tell you my reason for being here,” Bab said with a gentle dignity that caused Mrs. Wilson’s stern expression to soften.  “What I am about to say, however, is in strictest confidence, as it involves another person besides myself.  I shall expect you to respect my confidence, Mrs. Wilson,” she added firmly.

Mrs. Wilson made a jesture of acquiescence.  Then Barbara poured forth the story of Mollie’s extravagance and her subsequent remorse over the difficulties into which her love of dress had plunged both of the Thurston girls.  “It is just this way, Mrs. Wilson,” Bab concluded.  “We have very little money of our own and we simply can’t ask Mother to pay this debt.  I won’t ask Ruth to lend it to us because we are too deeply indebted to her already.  I have some jewelry that is valuable; a ring, a pin and several trinkets, and I intend to take them to a pawn shop and borrow enough money on them to free Mollie of this debt.  Then we will save our allowance money and redeem the things.  I have never been in a pawn shop and don’t know anything about them, so I thought I would find the address of a pawn broker in the directory and go there this afternoon.  That is why I wanted the directory and why I came into Mr. Hamlin’s study.  Now that I have told you, perhaps you will feel differently about saying anything to Mr. Hamlin.  He is so stern and cold that he would never forgive me if he knew of all this, although I am doing nothing wrong.  It is very humiliating to be placed in this position, but now that the mischief has been done we shall have to pay for the gown and set it all down under the head of bitter experience.”