Page:A New England Tale.djvu/120

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A NEW-ENGLAND TALE.
109

"Tell them nothing," said Jane, "but that I had an unexpected call for the money, and beg them to mention nothing of the past, for I will not unnecessarily provoke aunt Wilson."

"Jane," said Mary earnestly, "you must not deny me the satisfaction of telling how you have laid out the money."

"No," replied Jane, "you cannot have that pleasure without telling why I was obliged thus to lay it out.—Oh," added she with more emotion than she had yet shown, "I have never blamed my father that he left me pennyless; had he left me the inheritance of a good name, I would not have exchanged it for all the world can give!"

Mary consoled her friend as well as she was able, and then reluctantly parted from her, to perform her disagreeable duty. Mr. Evertson was exceedingly disappointed; he said he had already had an offer of a very good assistant, who could furnish more money than he expected from Jane; he had preferred Jane Elton, for no sum could outweigh her qualifications for the station he wished her to fill. He was, however, obliged to her for so promptly informing him of her determination, as he had not yet sent a refusal to the person who had solicited the place.

Mrs. Harvey, not content with deploring, which she did sincerely, that she could not have Jane for an inmate, wondered what upon earth she could have done with a hundred dollars! and concluded "that it would be just like Jane Elton, though it would not be like any body else in the