Charlotte directly felt it hot through her sleeve. "Don't,
Charlotte," Rose said; "I'm sorry I spoke so."

"Maybe I don't care," Charlotte sobbed out again. "Maybe I don't."

"Oh, Charlotte, I'm sorry," Rose said, trembling. "I do know you
care; don't you feel so bad because I said that."

Rose tightened her grasp on Charlotte's arm; her voice changed
suddenly. "Look here, Charlotte," said she, "I'll do anything in the
world I can to help you; I promise you that, and I mean it, honest."

Charlotte reached around a hand, and clasped her cousin's.

"I'm sorry I spoke so," Rose said.

"Never mind," Charlotte responded, chokingly. She sobbed a little
longer from pure inertia of grief; then she raised herself, shaking
off Rose's hand. "It's all right," said she; "I needn't have minded;
I know you didn't mean anything. It was just--the last straw,
and--when you said that about my wedding-clothes--"

"Oh, Charlotte, you did speak about them yourself first," Rose said,
deprecatingly.

"I did, so nobody else would," returned Charlotte. She wiped her
eyes, drooping her stained face away from her cousin with a kind of
helpless shame; then she smoothed her hair with the palms of her
hands. "I know you didn't mean any harm, Rose," she added, presently.
"I got my silk dress done last Wednesday; I wanted to tell you."