sie; indeed, finding
the younger girl so ignorant of prices, and even of her own needs, the
two elder ones entered into a conspiracy with old Sol and slyly added
another ten dollars to Ingua's credit. The result was that she carried
home not only shoes and a new hat--trimmed by Miss Huckins without
cost, the material being furnished from the fund--but a liberal supply
of underwear, ribbons, collars and hosiery, and even a pair of silk
gloves, which delighted the child's heart more than anything else.

Miss Huckins' new dress proved very pretty and becoming, and with all
her wealth of apparel Ingua was persuaded to dine with Mary Louise at
the Kenton house on Saturday evening. The hour was set for seven
o'clock, in order to allow the girl to prepare her grandfather's supper
before going out, and the first intimation Old Swallowtail had of the
arrangement was when he entered the house Saturday evening and found
Ingua arrayed in all her finery.

He made no remark at first, but looked at her more than once--whether
approvingly or not his stolid expression did not betray. When the girl
did not sit down to the table and he observed she had set no place for
herself, he suddenly said:

"Well?"

"I'm goin' to eat with the Hathaways to-night," she replied. "Their
dinner ain't ready till seven o'clock, so if ye hurry a little I kin
wash the dishes afore I go."

He offered no objection. Indeed, he said nothing at all until he had
finished his simple meal. Then, as she cleared the table, he said:

"It might be well, while you are in the society of Mary Louise and
Colonel Hathaway, to notice their method of speech and try to imitate
it."

"What's wrong with my talk?" she demanded. She was annoyed at the
suggestion, because she had been earnestly trying to imitate Mary
Louise's speech.

"I will leave you to make the discovery yourself," he said dryly.

She tossed her dishes into the hot water rather recklessly.

"If I orter talk diff'rent," said she, "it's your fault. Ye hain't give
me no schooling ner noth'n'. Ye don't even say six words a week to me.
I'm just your slave, to make yer bed an' cook yer meals an' wash yer
dishes. Gee! how'd ye s'pose I'd talk? Like a lady?"

"I think," he quietly responded, "you picked up your slang from your
mother, who, however, had some education. The education ruined her for
the quiet life here and she plunged into the world to get the
excitement she craved. Hasn't she been sorry for i