I'm here because your sister is here; Carroll comes because YOU do, and you come because your mother can not." "And who tells you these pretty stories ?" asked Maruja, with her face still turned towards Carroll.
"The foreman, Harrison, who, with an extensive practical experience of tramps, was struck with this exception to the general rule." "Poor man; one ought to do something for him," said Amita, compassionately.
"What!" said Raymond, with affected terror, "and spoil this perfect story?
Never! If I should offer him ten dollars, I'd expect him to kick me; if he took it, I'd expect to kick HIM." "He is not so bad-looking, is he, Maruja ?" asked Amita of her sister.
But Maruja had already moved a few paces off with Carroll, and seemed to be listening to him only.

Raymond smiled at the pretty perplexity of Amita's eyebrows over this pronounced indiscretion.
"Don't mind them," he whispered; "you really cannot expect to duena your elder sister.

Tell me, would you actually like me to see if I could assist the virtuous tramp?
You have only to speak." But Amita's interest appeared to be so completely appeased with Raymond's simple offer that she only smiled, blushed, and said "No." Maruja's quick ears had taken in every word of these asides, and for an instant she hated her sister for her aimless declination of Raymond's proposal.

But becoming conscious--under her eyelids--that the stranger was moving away with the dispersing crowd, she rejoined Amita with her usual manner.

The others had re-entered the carriage, but Maruja took it into her head to proceed on foot to the rude building whence the mourners had issued.