Hope and Have Part 9

"We are; and when we get there we will take the cars for New York city.

We shall be there before twelve o'clock."

"But what shall we do when we get there?" demanded Kate, who was absolutely appalled at the magnitude of f.a.n.n.y's scheme.

"We will have a good time, in the first place. There are plenty of shops where we can get cakes, and candy, and ice-cream; we can go to the museum, the theatre, and the circus; we can go to Central Park, and all the fine places in the city."

"But where should we live?"

"There are hotels enough."

"What should we do at a hotel? Besides, it would take lots of money."

"I've got money enough."

"Five dollars wouldn't pay for our living a week. They ask three or four dollars a day for living at a hotel."

"I've got more than five dollars," answered f.a.n.n.y, rather cautiously.

"Have you? How much have you got?"

"I don't know exactly."

"You don't know!" repeated Kate, very confident now in regard to the means by which the money had been obtained, which, with this added revelation regarding the amount, she did not believe had been found on the floor. "You don't know!"

"I haven't counted it."

"Fan, you didn't find that money on the floor!" exclaimed she.

"I found it, anyhow," said f.a.n.n.y, turning her head away from her companion.

"Where did you find it?"

"In the drawer, if you must know," replied f.a.n.n.y, desperately.

CHAPTER VI.

KATE'S DEFECTION.

"f.a.n.n.y Grant, you stole that money!" said Kate, as though she had made a great discovery.

It was no discovery at all. She had been reasonably confident that the five dollars, which f.a.n.n.y acknowledged to be in her possession, had been stolen, or, if not actually stolen, that it had been obtained in a manner entirely at variance even with a very low ideal of common honesty. She was willing to enjoy the good things which might be bought with the five dollars, but she was not disposed to bear the responsibility of the theft, either as princ.i.p.al or accessory. If, when the day of reckoning came, she could make it appear that she did not know the money had been stolen, she would escape the penalty and the odium of being a thief, or a receiver of stolen goods.

Like many others, she could hold up her hands in holy horror at the crime made public, while she was willing to wink at or compromise the crime for her own benefit in the secret chambers of her own heart. If she had been taught in ancient Lacedaemonia that it is not a crime to steal, but a crime to be found out, she could not have been more faithful to its base policy.

f.a.n.n.y heard the charge, but made no reply, pretending to be occupied in watching the course of the boat.

"You stole that money, f.a.n.n.y Grant!" repeated Kate, with even more emphasis, and more holy horror than before.

"Well, what if I did?" answered f.a.n.n.y, who was disposed to have her a.s.sociate as deep in the mud as she herself was in the mire; and she knew that it would be impossible to deny the fact when she exhibited the great roll of bills in her pocket.

"I didn't think you would steal money, f.a.n.n.y."

"You would yourself, if you got a chance."

"No, I wouldn't; I'm bad enough, I know, but I wouldn't steal."

"Yes, you would! You needn't pretend to be so good. You will never be hung for your honesty. I know you."

"Do you mean to say I would steal?" demanded Kate, not a little mortified to be thought so meanly of.

"I know you would. Who stole the strawberries the other day?"

"That wasn't money," pleaded Kate.

"It was all the same."

"I wouldn't take money. I'm not a thief."

"You flatter yourself."

"I wouldn't. But, f.a.n.n.y," she added, willing to change the subject, "I shouldn't dare to go to New York city."

"Why not?"

"Something might happen to us."

"What can happen to us?"

"I don't know; but I'm afraid to go. What should we do with ourselves for a whole week?"

"Have a good time; that's what we are going for?"

"I can't go, Fan."

"Yes, you can; and you must. You have got into the sc.r.a.pe so far, and you are not going to leave me alone now. You promised to go with me."

"But you did not tell me what you were going to do."

"I have told you now; and if you attempt to back out, you shall bear half the blame."

"I didn't steal."

"I don't care if you didn't; you shall bear your share of the blame.

You shall go with me."