Page:Georgie by Dorothea Deakin, 1906.djvu/275

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

When the Girls Came Out

give me? I've lost my money.' Not much."

Drusilla rubbed her eyes.

"Oh," said she, "you don't know what love is, Georgie. Money is nothing, nothing, compared with love. If she loves you, she'll be glad to have you back and glad to help you to bear your troubles. She'll be glad you've lost your money, to have the chance of showing you that she loves you for yourself alone. You don't understand how a nice girl feels, the least little bit."

Georgie played with a Chelsea cup and saucer and said nothing.

"Yes," said I consolingly. "Unless her father puts his foot down and—"

"That's just it," said poor Georgie quietly. "And it's the devil of a foot when he does. Diana told me once that the fifth commandment was the most beautiful thing in the whole prayer-book. She's been very well brought up. Her father sings psalms to wipe out his disreputable past, and drown his losses on the

259