are　good　shoes；　and　they　look　it。〃
  〃This〃　said　Wesley；　producing　the　last　package；　〃is
  your　Christmas　present　from　your　Aunt　Maggie。　　I　got
  mine；　too；　but　it's　at　the　house。　　I'll　bring　it　up　in
  the　morning。〃
  He　handed　Margaret　the　umbrella；　and　she　passed　it
  over　to　Elnora　who　opened　it　and　sat　laughing　under
  its　shelter。　　Then　she　kissed　both　of　them。　　She　brought　a
  pencil　and　a　slip　of　paper　to　set　down　the　prices　they　gave
  her　of　everything　they　had　brought　except　the　umbrella；
  added　the　sum；　and　said　laughingly：　　〃Will　you　please　wait
  till　to…morrow　for　the　money？　　I　will　have　it　then；　sure。〃
  〃Elnora；〃　said　Wesley　Sinton。　　〃Wouldn't　you〃
  〃Elnora；　hustle　here　a　minute！〃　called　Mrs。　Comstock
  from　the　kitchen。　　〃I　need　you！〃
  〃One　second；　mother；〃　answered　Elnora；　throwing　off
  the　coat　and　hat；　and　closing　the　umbrella　as　she　ran。
  There　were　several　errands　to　do　in　a　hurry；　and　then　supper。
  Elnora　chattered　incessantly；　Wesley　and　Margaret　talked
  all　they　could；　while　Mrs。　Comstock　said　a　word　now　and　then；
  which　was　all　she　ever　did。　　But　Wesley　Sinton　was　watching
  her；　and　time　and　again　he　saw　a　peculiar　little　twist
  around　her　mouth。　　He　knew　that　for　the　first　time　in
  sixteen　years　she　really　was　laughing　over　something。
  She　had　all　she　could　do　to　preserve　her　usually　sober　face。
  Wesley　knew　what　she　was　thinking。
  After　supper　the　dress　was　finished；　the　pattern　for
  the　next　one　discussed；　and　then　the　Sintons　went　home。
  Elnora　gathered　her　treasures。　　When　she　started　upstairs
  she　stopped。　　〃May　I　kiss　you　good…night；　mother？〃
  she　asked　lightly。
  〃Never　mind　any　slobbering；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。
  〃I　should　think　you'd　lived　with　me　long　enough　to　know
  that　I　don't　care　for　it。〃
  〃Well；　I'd　love　to　show　you　in　some　way　how　happy　I
  am；　and　how　I　thank　you。〃
  〃I　wonder　what　for？〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Mag　Sinton
  chose　that　stuff　and　brought　it　here　and　you　pay　for　it。〃
  〃Yes；　but　you　seemed　willing　for　me　to　have　it；　and
  you　said　you　would　help　me　if　I　couldn't　pay　all。〃
  〃Maybe　I　did；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Maybe　I　did。
  I　meant　to　get　you　some　heavy　dress　skirts　about
  Thanksgiving；　and　I　still　can　get　them。　　Go　to　bed；
  and　for　any　sake　don't　begin　mooning　before　a　mirror；
  and　make　a　dunce　of　yourself。〃
  Mrs。　Comstock　picked　up　several　papers　and　blew　out
  the　kitchen　light。　　She　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　sitting…
  room　floor　for　a　time　and　then　went　into　her　room　and
  closed　the　door。　　Sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　she　thought
  for　a　few　minutes　and　then　suddenly　buried　her　face　in　the
  pillow　and　again　heaved　with　laughter。
  Down　the　road　plodded　Margaret　and　Wesley　Sinton。
  Neither　of　them　had　words　to　utter　their　united　thought。
  〃Done！〃　hissed　Wesley　at　last。　　〃Done　brown！　　Did　you
  ever　feel　like　a　bloomin'；　confounded　donkey？　　How　did
  the　woman　do　it？〃
  〃She　didn't　do　it！〃　gulped　Margaret　through　her　tears。
  〃She　didn't　do　anything。　　She　trusted　to　Elnora's　great
  big　soul　to　bring　her　out　right；　and　really　she　was　right；
  and　so　it　had　to　bring　her。　　She's　a　darling；　Wesley！
  But　she's　got　a　time　before　her。　　Did　you　see　Kate　Comstock
  grab　that　money？　　Before　six　months　she'll　be　out　combing
  the　Limberlost　for　bugs　and　arrow　points　to　help　pay　the　tax。
  I　know　her。〃
  〃Well；　I　don't！〃　exclaimed　Sinton；　〃she's　too　many　for　me。
  But　there　is　a　laugh　left　in　her　yet！　　I　didn't　s'pose
  there　was。　　Bet　you　a　dollar；　if　we　could　see　her　this
  minute；　she'd　be　chuckling　over　the　way　we　got　left。〃
  Both　of　them　stopped　in　the　road　and　looked　back。
  〃There's　Elnora's　light　in　her　room；〃　said　Margaret。
  〃The　poor　child　will　feel　those　clothes；　and　pore　over
  her　books　till　morning；　but　she'll　look　decent　to　go　to
  school；　anyway。　　Nothing　is　too　big　a　price　to　pay　for　that。〃
  〃Yes；　if　Kate　lets　her　wear　them。　　Ten　to　one；　she
  makes　her　finish　the　week　with　that　old　stuff！〃
  〃No；　she　won't；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃She'll　hardly　dare。
  Kate　made　some　concessions；　all　right；　big　ones　for　her
  if　she　did　get　her　way　in　the　main。　　She　bent　some；　and
  if　Elnora　proves　that　she　can　walk　out　barehanded　in　the
  morning　and　come　back　with　that　much　money　in　her
  pocket；　an　armful　of　books；　and　buy　a　turnout　like　that；
  she　proves　that　she　is　of　some　consideration；　and　Kate's
  smart　enough。　　She'll　think　twice　before　she'll　do　that。
  Elnora　won't　wear　a　calico　dress　to　high　school　again。
  You　watch　and　see　if　she　does。　　She　may　have　the　best
  clothes　she'll　get　for　a　time；　for　the　least　money；　but　she
  won't　know　it　until　she　tries　to　buy　goods　herself　at　the
  same　rates。　　Wesley；　what　about　those　prices？　　Didn't　they
  shrink　considerable？〃
  〃You　began　it；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Those　prices　were　all　right。
  We　didn't　say　what　the　goods　cost　us；　we　said　what　they
  would　cost　her。　　Surely；　she's　mistaken　about　being　able
  to　pay　all　that。　　Can　she　pick　up　stuff　of　that　value
  around　the　Limberlost？　　Didn't　the　Bird　Woman　see　her
  trouble；　and　just　give　her　the　money？〃
  〃I　don't　think　so；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Seems　to　me
  I've　heard　of　her　paying；　or　offering　to　pay　those　who
  would　take　the　money；　for　bugs　and　butterflies；　and　I've
  known　people　who　sold　that　banker　Indian　stuff。　　Once　I
  heard　that　his　pipe　collection　beat　that　of　the　Government
  at　the　Philadelphia　Centennial。　　Those　things　have　come
  to　have　a　value。〃
  〃Well；　there's　about　a　bushel　of　that　kind　of　valuables
  piled　up　in　the　woodshed；　that　belongs　to　Elnora。　　At　least；
  I　picked　them　up　because　she　said　she　wanted　them。
  Ain't　it　queer　that　she'd　take　to　stones；　bugs；　and
  butterflies；　and　save　them。　　Now　they　are　going　to　bring　her
  the　very　thing　she　wants　the　worst。　　Lord；　but　this　is　a　funny
  world　when　you　get　to　studying！　　Looks　like　things　didn't
  all　come　by　accident。　　Looks　as　if　there　was　a　plan　back
  of　it；　and　somebody　driving　that　knows　the　road；　and　how
  to　handle　the　lines。　　Anyhow；　Elnora's　in　the　wagon；　and
  when　I　get　out　in　the　night　and　the　dark　closes　around　me；
  and　I　see　the　stars；　I　don't　feel　so　cheap。　　Maggie；　how　the
  nation　did　Kate　Comstock　do　that？〃
  〃You　will　keep　on　harping；　Wesley。　　I　told　you　she
  didn't　do　it。　　Elnora　did　it！　　She　walked　in　and　took
  things　right　out　of　our　hands。　　All　Kate　had　to　do　was　to
  enjoy　having　it　go　her　way；　and　she　was　cute　enough　to
  put　in　a　few　questions　that　sort　of　guided　Elnora。　　But　I
  don't　know；　Wesley。　　This　thing　makes　me　think；　too。
  S'pose　we'd　taken　Elnora　when　she　was　a　baby；　and　we'd
  heaped　on　her　all　the　love　we　can't　on　our　own；　and　we'd
  coddled；　petted；　and　shielded　her；　would　she　have　made
  the　woman　that　living　alone；　learning　to　think　for　herself；
  and　taking　all　the　knocks　Kate　Comstock　could　give；　have
  made　of　her？〃
  〃You　bet　your　life！〃　cried　Wesley；　warmly。　　〃Loving　anybody
  don't　hurt　them。　　We　wouldn't　have　done　anything　but　love　her。
  You　can't　hurt　a　child　loving　it。　　She'd　have　learned　to　work；
  to　study；　and　grown　into　a　woman　with　us；　without　suffering
  like　a　poor　homeless　dog。〃
  〃But　you　don't　see　the　point；　Wesley。　　She　would　have
  grown　into　a　fine　woman　with　us；　but　as　we　would　have
  raised　her；　would　her　heart　ever　have　known　the　world　as　it
  does　now？　　Where's　the　anguish；　Wesley；　that　child　can't
  comprehend？　　Seeing　what　she's　seen　of　her　mother　hasn't
  hardened　her。　　She　can　understand　any　mother's　sorrow。
  Living　life　from　the　rough　side　has　only　broadened　her。
  Where's　the　girl　or　boy　burning　with　shame；　or　struggling
  to　find　a　way；　that　will　cross　Elnora's　path　and　not　get
  a　lift　from　her？　　She's　had　the　knocks；　but　there'll　never
  be　any　of　the　thing　you　call　‘false　pride'　in　her。　　I　guess
  we　better　keep　out。　　Maybe　Kate　Comstock　knows　what　she's　doing。
  Sure　as　you　live；　Elnora　has　grown　bigger　on　knocks　than　she
  would　on　love。〃
  〃I　don't　s'pose　there　ever　was　a　very　fine　point　to
  anything　but　I　missed　it；〃　said　Wesley；　〃because　I　am
  blunt；　rough；　and　have　no　book　learning　to　speak　of。
  Since　you　put　it　into　words　I　see　what　you　mean；　but　it's
  dinged　hard　on　Elnora；　just　the　same。　　And　I　don't　keep　out。
  I　keep　watching　closer　than　ever。　　I　got　my　slap　in　the
  face；　but　if　I　don't　miss　my　guess；　Kate　Comstock　learned
  her　lesson；　same　as　I　did。　　She　learned　that　I　was　in
  earnest；　that　I　would　haul　her　to　court　if　she　didn't
  loosen　up　a　bit；　and　she'll　loosen。　　You　see　if　she　doesn't。
  It　may　come　hard；　and　the　hinges　creak；　but　she'll　fix
  Elnora　decent　after　this；　if　Elnora　doesn't　prove　that　she
  can　fix　herself。　　As　for　me；　I　found　out　that　what　I　was
  doing　was　as　much　for　myself　as　for　Elnora。　　I　wanted　her
  to　take　those　things　from　us；　and　love　us　for　giving　them。
  It　didn't　work；　and　but　for　you；　I'd　messed　the　whole
  thing　and　stuck　like　a　pig　in　crossing　a　bridge。　　But　you
  helped　me　out；　Elnora's　got　the　clothes；　and　by　morning；
  maybe　I　won't　grudge　Kate　the　only