and　pigs；　swept　two　of　the　rooms　of　the　cabin；
  built　a　fire；　and　put　on　the　kettle　for　breakfast。　　Then　she
  climbed　the　narrow　stairs　to　the　attic　she　had　occupied　since
  a　very　small　child；　and　dressed　in　the　hated　shoes　and
  brown　calico；　plastered　down　her　crisp　curls；　ate　what
  breakfast　she　could；　and　pinning　on　her　hat　started　for　town。
  〃There　is　no　sense　in　your　going　for　an　hour　yet；〃
  said　her　mother。
  〃I　must　try　to　discover　some　way　to　earn　those　books；〃
  replied　Elnora。　　〃I　am　perfectly　positive　I　shall　not
  find　them　lying　beside　the　road　wrapped　in　tissue　paper；
  and　tagged　with　my　name。〃
  She　went　toward　the　city　as　on　yesterday。　　Her　perplexity
  as　to　where　tuition　and　books　were　to　come　from　was
  worse　but　she　did　not　feel　quite　so　badly。　　She　never
  again　would　have　to　face　all　of　it　for　the　first　time。
  There　had　been　times　yesterday　when　she　had　prayed　to
  be　hidden；　or　to　drop　dead；　and　neither　had　happened。
  〃I　believe　the　best　way　to　get　an　answer　to　prayer　is
  to　work　for　it；〃　muttered　Elnora　grimly。
  Again　she　followed　the　trail　to　the　swamp；　rearranged
  her　hair　and　left　the　tin　pail。　　This　time　she　folded　a　couple
  of　sandwiches　in　the　napkin；　and　tied　them　in　a　neat　light
  paper　parcel　which　she　carried　in　her　hand。　　Then　she
  hurried　along　the　road　to　Onabasha　and　found　a　book…store。
  There　she　asked　the　prices　of　the　list　of　books　that
  she　needed；　and　learned　that　six　dollars　would　not　quite
  supply　them。　　She　anxiously　inquired　for　second…hand
  books；　but　was　told　that　the　only　way　to　secure　them　was
  from　the　last　year's　Freshmen。　　Just　then　Elnora　felt　that
  she　positively　could　not　approach　any　of　those　she　supposed
  to　be　Sophomores　and　ask　to　buy　their　old　books。
  The　only　balm　the　girl　could　see　for　the　humiliation　of
  yesterday　was　to　appear　that　day　with　a　set　of　new　books。
  〃Do　you　wish　these？〃　asked　the　clerk　hurriedly；　for　the
  store　was　rapidly　filling　with　school　children　wanting
  anything　from　a　dictionary　to　a　pen。
  〃Yes；〃　gasped　Elnora；　〃Oh；　yes！　　But　I　cannot　pay　for
  them　just　now。　　Please　let　me　take　them；　and　I　will　pay
  for　them　on　Friday；　or　return　them　as　perfect　as　they　are。
  Please　trust　me　for　them　a　few　days。〃
  〃I'll　ask　the　proprietor；〃　he　said。　　When　he　came　back
  Elnora　knew　the　answer　before　he　spoke。
  〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said；　〃but　Mr。　Hann　doesn't　recognize
  your　name。　　You　are　not　a　customer　of　ours；　and　he　feels
  that　he　can't　take　the　risk。〃
  Elnora　clumped　out　of　the　store；　the　thump　of　her　heavy；
  shoes　beating　as　a　hammer　on　her　brain。　　She　tried　two
  other　dealers　with　the　same　result；　and　then　in　sick　despair
  came　into　the　street。　　What　could　she　　do？　　She　was　too
  frightened　to　think。　　Should　she　stay　from　school　that
  day　and　canvass　the　homes　appearing　to　belong　to　the
  wealthy；　and　try　to　sell　beds　of　wild　ferns；　as　she　had
  suggested　to　Wesley　Sinton？　　What　would　she　dare　ask　for
  bringing　in　and　planting　a　clump　of　ferns？　　How　could　she
  carry　them？　　Would　people　buy　them？　　She　slowly　moved
  past　the　hotel　and　then　glanced　around　to　see　if　there
  were　a　clock　anywhere；　for　she　felt　sure　the　young　people
  passing　her　constantly　were　on　their　way　to　school。
  There　it　stood　in　a　bank　window　in　big　black　letters
  staring　straight　at　her：
  WANTED：　　CATERPILLARS；　COCOONS；　CHRYSALIDES；
  PUPAE　CASES；　BUTTERFLIES；　MOTHS；　INDIAN　RELICS
  OF　ALL　KINDS。　　HIGHEST　SCALE　OF　PRICES　PAID　IN　CASH
  Elnora　caught　the　wicket　at　the　cashier's　desk　with　both
  hands　to　brace　herself　against　disappointment。
  〃Who　is　it　wants　to　buy　cocoons；　butterflies；　and
  moths？〃　she　panted。
  〃The　Bird　Woman；〃　answered　the　cashier。　　〃Have　you
  some　for　sale？〃
  〃I　have　some；　I　do　not　know　if　they　are　what　she　would　want。〃
  〃Well；　you　had　better　see　her；〃　said　the　cashier。　　〃Do　you
  know　where　she　lives？〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Would　you　tell　me　the　time？〃
  〃Twenty…one　after　eight；〃　was　the　answer。
  She　had　nine　minutes　to　reach　the　auditorium　or　be　late。
  Should　she　go　to　school；　or　to　the　Bird　Woman？　　Several　girls
  passed　her　walking　swiftly　and　she　remembered　their　faces。
  They　were　hurrying　to　school。　　Elnora　caught　the　infection。
  She　would　see　the　Bird　Woman　at　noon。　　Algebra　came　first；
  and　that　professor　was　kind。　　Perhaps　she　could　slip　to　the
  superintendent　and　ask　him　for　a　book　for　the　next　lesson；
  and　at　noon〃Oh；　dear　Lord　make　it　come　true；〃　prayed　Elnora；
  at　noon　possibly　she　could　sell　some　of　those　wonderful
  shining…winged　things　she　had　been　collecting　all　her　life
  around　the　outskirts　of　the　Limberlost。
  As　she　went　down　the　long　hall　she　noticed　the　professor
  of　mathematics　standing　in　the　door　of　his　recitation　room。
  When　she　passed　him　he　smiled　and　spoke　to　her。
  〃I　have　been　watching　for　you；〃　he　said；　and　Elnora
  stopped　bewildered。
  〃For　me？〃　she　questioned。
  〃Yes；〃　said　Professor　Henley。　　〃Step　inside。〃
  Elnora　followed　him　into　the　room　and　closed　the　door
  behind　them。
  〃At　teachers'　meeting　last　evening；　one　of　the　professors
  mentioned　that　a　pupil　had　betrayed　in　class　that　she　had
  expected　her　books　to　be　furnished　by　the　city。　　I　thought
  possibly　it　was　you。　　Was　it？〃
  〃Yes；〃　breathed　Elnora。
  〃That　being　the　case；〃　said　Professor　Henley；　〃it　just
  occurred　to　me　as　you　had　expected　that；　you　might　require
  a　little　time　to　secure　them；　and　you　are　too　fine　a
  mathematician　to　fall　behind　for　want　of　supplies。　　So　I
  telephoned　one　of　our　Sophomores　to　bring　her　last　year's
  books　this　morning。　　I　am　sorry　to　say　they　are　somewhat
  abused；　but　the　text　is　all　here。　　You　can　have　them　for
  two　dollars；　and　pay　when　you　are　ready。　　Would　you
  care　to　take　them？〃
  Elnora　sat　suddenly；　because　she　could　not　stand　another　instant。
  She　reached　both　hands　for　the　books；　and　said　never　a　word。
  The　professor　was　silent　also。　　At　last　Eleanor　arose；
  hugging　those　books　to　her　heart　as　a　mother　clasps　a　baby。
  〃One　thing　more；〃　said　the　professor。　　〃You　may　pay
  your　tuition　quarterly。　　You　need　not　bother　about　the
  first　instalment　this　month。　　Any　time　in　October　will　do。〃
  It　seemed　as　if　Elnora's　gasp　of　relief　must　have　reached
  the　soles　of　her　brogans。
  〃Did　any　one　ever　tell　you　how　beautiful　you　are！〃　she　cried。
  As　the　professor　was　lank；　tow…haired　and　so　near…
  sighted；　that　he　peered　at　his　pupils　through　spectacles；
  no　one　ever　had。
  〃No；〃　said　Professor　Henley；　〃I've　waited　some　time
  for　that；　for　which　reason　I　shall　appreciate　it　all　the　more。
  Come　now；　or　we　shall　be　late　for　opening　exercises。〃
  So　Elnora　entered　the　auditorium　a　second　time。　　Her　face　was
  like　the　brightest　dawn　that　ever　broke　over　the　Limberlost。
  No　matter　about　the　lumbering　shoes　and　skimpy　dress。
  No　matter　about　anything；　she　had　the　books。　　She　could
  take　them　home。　　In　her　garret　she　could　commit　them　to
  memory；　if　need　be。　　She　could　prove　that　clothes　were
  not　all。　　If　the　Bird　Woman　did　not　want　any　of　the　many
  different　kinds　of　specimens　she　had　collected；　she　was
  quite　sure　now　she　could　sell　ferns；　nuts；　and　a　great
  many　things。　　Then；　too；　a　girl　made　a　place　for　her
  that　morning；　and　several　smiled　and　bowed。　　Elnora　forgot
  everything　save　her　books；　and　that　she　was　where　she
  could　use　them　intelligentlyeverything　except　one
  little　thing　away　back　in　her　head。　　Her　mother　had
  known　about　the　books　and　the　tuition；　and　had　not　told
  her　when　she　agreed　to　her　coming。
  At　noon　Elnora　took　her　little　parcel　of　lunch　and　started
  to　the　home　of　the　Bird　Woman。　　She　must　know　about
  the　specimens　first　and　then　she　would　walk　to　the　suburbs
  somewhere　and　eat　a　few　bites。　　She　dropped　the　heavy
  iron　knocker　on　the　door　of　a　big　red　log　cabin；　and
  her　heart　thumped　at　the　resounding　stroke。
  〃Is　the　Bird　Woman　at　home？〃　she　asked　of　the　maid。
  〃She　is　at　lunch；〃　was　the　answer。
  〃Please　ask　her　if　she　will　see　a　girl　from　the　Limberlost
  about　some　moths？〃　inquired　Elnora。
  〃I　never　need　ask；　if　it's　moths；〃　laughed　the　girl。
  〃Orders　are　to　bring　any　one　with　specimens　right　in。
  Come　this　way。〃
  Elnora　followed　down　the　hall　and　entered　a　long　room　with
  high　panelled　wainscoting；　old　English　fireplace　with　an
  overmantel　and　closets　of　peculiar　china　filling　the　corners。
  At　a　bare　table　of　oak；　yellow　as　gold；　sat　a　woman　Elnora
  often　had　watched　and　followed　covertly　around　the　Limberlost。
  The　Bird　Woman　was　holding　out　a　hand　of　welcome。
  I　heard！〃　she　laughed。　　〃A　little　pasteboard　box；　or
  just　the　mere　word　‘specimen；'　passes　you　at　my　door。
  If　it　is　moths　I　hope　you　have　hundreds。　　I've　been　very
  busy　all　summer　and　unable　to　collect；　and　I　need　so　many。
  Sit　down　and　lunch　with　me；　while　we　talk　it　over。
  From　the　Limberlost；　did　you　say？〃
  〃I　live　near　the　swamp；〃　replied　Elnora。　　〃Since　it's
  so　cleared　I　dare