clearly that there was not enough for so large a party; but at the
first hint of this from Allan Uncle Geoffrey got quite warm and
eager. Dear, generous Uncle Geoff! he was determined to share his
last crust with his dead brother's widow and children.

"Nonsense, fiddlesticks!" he kept on saying; "what do I want with
luxuries? Ask Deborah if I care what I eat and drink; we shall do
very well, if you and Esther are not so faint-hearted." And when we
found out how our protests seemed to hurt him, we let him have his
own way; only Allan and I exchanged looks, which said as plainly as
looks could, "Is he not the best uncle that ever lived, and will we
not work our hardest to help him?"

I had a long talk with Carrie that night; she was very submissive
and very sad, and seemed rather downhearted over things. She was
quite as grateful for Uncle Geoff's generosity as we were, but I
could see the notion of being a governess distressed her greatly. "I
am very glad you will undertake the housekeeping, Esther," she said,
rather plaintively; "it will leave me free for other things," and
then she sighed very bitterly, and got up and left me. I was a little
sorry that she did not tell me all that was in her mind, for, if we
are "to bear each other's burdens," it is necessary to break down the
reserve that keeps us out of even a sister's heart sometimes.

But though Carrie left me to my own thoughts, I was not able to
quiet myself for hours. If I had only Jessie to whom I could talk!
and then it seemed to me as though it were months since we sat
together in the garden of Redmayne House talking out our girlish
philosophy.