Later in the afternoon, Beets and Johnny set off for the fishing spot at the creek. Charlie would have liked to have gone, as well, but

Maria set her to work in the kitchen. Charlie realized that she didn't mind that so much, though. Once she was excused from that

chore, she went outside to cuddle with the cats. She took the latest novel that she'd been reading on her own.

She heard Teresa calling to her, and stood up, brushing the hay from her overalls.

"Here I am," she said, going to the door of the barn.

"Do you want to go with me to the Stone's?" Teresa asked.

"To do what?"

"I need to drop some things off that I borrowed, and then just to visit for awhile," Teresa said.

"It doesn't sound like much fun to me," Charlie said.

"I won't stay that long," Teresa promised. "And we'll go and get some ice cream, too. It'll be fun to ride in together."

"Can we go to the mercantile?" Charlie asked.

"If you want to. Why?"

"I want to buy something. Maybe. If I have enough money."

"Alright. Well, I'm leaving in about a half an hour, so that we'll be back in plenty of time for supper. Murdoch won't like it

if we're late getting back."

Charlie ran up to her room, gathering the few coins that she had put away in her bureau drawer. There wasn't much. Only

about thirty cents. She thought she might ask Teresa if she could borrow some money. Then, thinking better of that

idea, she went in search of Scott. She found him at the far side of the pasture, with two of the newer ranch hands. She waited, going

to stand beside Scott, while the men continued their conversation.

Scott put out a hand, onto the back of her head, in a gesture of greeting. Then, after he'd told the other two men that

he would talk to Murdoch about the eye infections in the cattle, he turned to look down at Charlie.

"Hey, there," he said. "You looking for me?"

"Yes. I wanted to ask you something."

Scott began pulling off his fencing gloves. "Alright."

"Teresa asked if I wanted to go with her to the Stone's, and then maybe to get some ice cream," Charlie said, leading into

what she wanted to ask him.

"Well, that's nice," he said.

"Yes. And, I was wondering if I could have some money."

"I imagine so," Scott said, and began to pull some coins from his pocket. "Don't be eating too much candy, though, especially if

you're eating ice cream, too."

Instead of taking the two nickels from his hand, Charlie said, "Well, it's not for candy. I mean, that's not what I want the money

for."

One of the hands, walking nearby again, after gathering up fencing materials, said, "Talk to you later, Scott."

Scott turned and said, "Alright. Thanks, Ben."

Then, he turned back to Charlie again. "Well, what for then?"

"That book at the mercantile. The one I told you about? The Princess and the Goblin? I was wondering if I could buy it?"

"How much was it?" he asked.

"Seventy-five cents. I have thirty."

"Hmm," Scott said, looking thoughtful. Then, he sorted thru the coins in his pocket again, and handed her a fifty-cent piece. "There you go."

"Thank you!" Charlie said, smiling up at him.

"I hadn't thought of that," Scott said, and Charlie looked at him, puzzled.

"Thought of what?" she asked.

"About an allowance for you."

"What's an allowance?" Charlie asked, curious.

"Money you get every week, pocket money. Let's see," he said, concentrating, "I don't know what's really right for kids

your age, but let's say, thirty cents a week. Every Saturday. How's that sound to you?"

"Thirty cents every week? Just because?" Charlie asked, her face lit up. "That sounds really good!"

"Well, not 'just because'," Scott corrected. "It's an allowance, and you get it every week, but on the condition that

you do your chores, on time and correctly. And, anything extra that you're asked to do, as well. If you don't keep up your

end of the deal, then no allowance that week. Alright?"

Charlie nodded. "Yes, Scott!"

"The weekly money, though, that's it," Scott cautioned. "So, if you spend it all, then that's it, until the next week. If there's something

you want to buy that costs more, then you need to save for it. You won't get any extra handed to you, like I did today, unless it's for

something important. Okay?"

Charlie nodded again. "Yes. Okay. Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome. I should have thought of it before. You need to have your own spending money."

Charlie wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him impulsively. Scott returned her hug, and then brushed

her hair back from her face.

"So, you're leaving soon then?" he asked. "With Teresa?"

"Yes, She wants to go soon, so we won't be late getting back for supper. She doesn't want Murdoch to get upset

with her."

Scott smiled a bit at that comment, and said, "Alright. Well, I'll see you at supper, then."

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Once in town, Charlie asked Teresa to drop her off at the mercantile.

"I can get my book, and then I'll walk to the Stone's to meet you there," Charlie told her.

Teresa gave Charlie a scrutinizing look. "I don't think that's a good idea, Charlie," she said.

"Why not?" Charlie asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Because of what happened this week. You going off to talk to that man-"

"I'm not gonna do that today, Teresa!" Charlie protested. "I won't! Not after what Scott said!"

"What did Scott say?" Teresa asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

Charlie felt her face get hot, embarrassed. "Well, never mind what he said. But, anyway, I'm not going to go

out there. I just want to get my book, and then I'll come to the Stone's. I promise."

"Well, alright," Teresa said. "It is getting late, and since you don't want to visit there long, I'll be ready to go by the

time you get over there. Then we can head on home."

"Don't forget, you said we could get ice cream," Charlie reminded her.

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