Another minute still passed, however, before he knew what
answer to make.
"But, my good girl," he began, "I do not see that you have anything to
blame yourself for--at least, not anything _worth_ blaming yourself
about. After so long a time, the money found was certainly your own, and
you could do what you pleased with it."
"But, sir, I did not wait at all to see how it had happened, or whether
it might not be claimed. I believe, indeed, that I hurried away at once,
lest anyone should know I had it. I ran to spend it at once, so for
whatever happened afterward I was to blame. Then, when it was too late,
I learned that the money was yours!"
"What did you do with it, if I may ask?" said the master.
"I gave it to a school-fellow of mine who had married a helpless sort of
husband and was in want of food."
"I am afraid you did not help them much by that," murmured the banker.
"Please, sir, I knew no other way to help them; and the money seemed to
have been given me for them. I soon came to know better, and have been
sorry ever since. I knew that I had no right to give it away as soon as
I knew whose it was."
She ceased, but still held out the note to him.
Mr. Macintosh stood again silent, and made no movement toward taking it.
"Please, sir, take the money, and forgive me," pleaded Annie. "And
please, sir, _please_ do not say anything about it to anybody. Even
my mother does not know."
"Now there you did wrong. You ought to have told your mother.
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