“Land, how you scared me,” she said huskily.  “I guess I was just having a kind of a little nap.”

“Oh, was that it?” answered Charlotte.  She felt the delicacy of the situation, and hated to pry into things that others didn’t want her to know.

“Any cookies, Melina?” she continued carelessly.  “I thought I’d take some up to the children.  My, but these are good!  Who was it in your family used to like them so much?  Oh, I know, it was your nephew down in Maine.  How is he now, Melina?  Does he get any better?”

Melina’s answer was so indistinct that Charlotte looked at her in amazement to see two great tears rolling slowly down her cheeks.  “Oh, Melina, is he worse, and is that what makes you feel so bad?” she cried sympathetically.

“No, he ain’t worse.  If anything he’s a little mite better.”

“What is the matter then?  Don’t you want to tell me?  Perhaps father or some of us could help.”

Melina shook her head.  “It’s only that I ain’t got quite enough money to make him the Christmas present I’d planned for him, and what’s worse I’ve been fool enough to write him it was coming.  It’s one of those new-fangled beds so that he can be wheeled around, and the end raises so that he can sit up a little.  He’s counting on it so that I can’t bear to disappoint him.  All I need is five dollars, and I thought sure I should have it because some one owes me just that much.  But I got a letter to-day saying she couldn’t pay it until after the first of January, so there ’tis.”

“If father was only home he could fix it ail right, but I’m afraid mother hasn’t five dollars she could spare just now,” said Charlotte doubtfully.

“If she had I wouldn’t take it,” answered Melina, whose business principles were founded on a rock.  “Your father paid me up to yesterday, and it ain’t time for me to have any more.”

“Oh, Melina, wait!” cried Charlotte, and she flashed out of the room and up the stairs, leaving Melina to wonder what had come over the girl.  She was back in a moment, hiding both hands behind her as she came into the kitchen.  Her eyes were sparkling with excitement, and she was so different from the ordinarily languid Charlotte that Melina looked at her in astonishment.

“Melina,” she said earnestly, “do you remember when I was a little girl and I used to beg you over and over again to say which hand you’d take?  Now, please, please choose now.”

Melina hesitated, but Charlotte’s manner was so persuasive that she couldn’t resist, and murmuring, “left hand nearest the heart,” touched that one.

Charlotte pushed something crisp and crackling into her hand.  “It’s mine to do just what I please with,” she cried exultantly, “and I never wanted to do anything more than I want to do this.”

Melina stared at the five dollar bill in her hand.  Then she held it out to Charlotte again.  “I can’t take your money,” she said.  “I ain’t saying that I wouldn’t like to have it, but I can’t take it.”