Holidays at Roselands | Page 8

Horace, and get the money from them; and I got off only
by promising to let him have the full amount to-day; but my pocket
money's all gone, and I can't get anything out of mamma, because she
told me the last time I went to her, that she couldn't give me any more
without papa finding out all about it. So you see there is nobody to help
me but you, Elsie, for there's never any use in asking my sisters; they
never have a cent to spare! Now be a good, obliging girl; come and let
me have the money."
"Oh! Arthur, you've been gambling; how could you do so?" she
exclaimed with a horrified look. "It is so very wicked! you'll go to ruin,
Arthur, if you keep on in such bad ways; do go to grandpa and tell him
all about it, and promise never to do so again, and I am sure he will
forgive you, and pay your debts, and then you will feel a great deal
happier."
"Tell papa, indeed; never! I'd die first! Elsie, you must lend me the
money," he said, seizing her by the wrist.
"Let go of me, Arthur," she said, trying to free herself from his grasp.
"You are stronger than I am, but you know if you hurt me, papa will be
sure to find it out."
He threw her hand from him with a violence that made her stagger, and
catch at the furniture to save herself from falling.

"Will you give me the money then?" he asked angrily.
"If I should do so, I would have to put it down in my expense book, and
tell papa all about it, because he does not allow me to spend one cent
without telling him just what it went for; and that would be much worse
for you, Arthur, than to go and confess it yourself--a great deal worse, I
am sure."
"You could manage it well enough, if you wanted to," said he, sullenly;
"it would be an easy matter to add a few yards to the flannel, and a few
pounds to the tobacco that you bought so much of for the old servants.
Just give me your book, and I'll fix it in a minute, and he'll never find it
out."
"Arthur!" she exclaimed, "I could never do such a wicked thing! I
would not deceive papa so for any money; and even if I did he would
be sure to find it out."
Some one tried the door.
Arthur put his hand on the lock; then, turning toward Elsie again, for an
instant, shook his fist in her face, muttering, with an oath, that he would
be revenged, and make her sorry for her refusal to the last day of her
life. He then opened the door and went out, leaving poor Elsie pale, and
trembling like a leaf.
The person, whoever it was, that had tried the door had gone away
again, and Elsie had a few moments alone to recover herself, before
Chloe came to tell her that her father could not have her with him that
morning, as a gentleman had called on business.
And much as Elsie had always enjoyed that hour, she was almost glad
of the respite, so fearful was she that her papa would see that something
had agitated her, and insist upon knowing what it was. She was very
much troubled that she had been made the repository of such a secret,
and fearful that she ought to tell her father or grandfather, because it
seemed so very important that Arthur should be stopped in his evil
courses. But remembering that he had said that her assistance was his

only hope for escaping detection, she at length decided that she need
not speak about the matter to any one.
She had a trying time that day, endeavoring to keep the children
amused; and her ingenuity and patience were taxed to the utmost to
think of stories and games that would please them all.
It was still early in the afternoon when she seemed to have got quite to
the end of her list. She was trying to amuse Enna's set, while her three
companions and Herbert were taking care of themselves. They had sat
down on the floor, and were playing jack-stones.
"Let us play jack-stones, too," said Flora. "I don't know how; but Elsie,
you can teach me, can't you?"
"No, Flora, I cannot indeed, for papa says I must not play that game,
because he does not like to have me sit down on the floor," replied
Elsie. "We must try to think of something else."
"We needn't sit on the floor, need we? Couldn't we play it on the
table?" asked Flora.
"I don't