ered the freshly-ironed linens and ginghams hanging in her
closet. Not many, perhaps, but dainty and pretty, every one, and
neither old-fashioned nor faded.

"I wish you'd let me give you a couple of mine," said Rosemary
impulsively. "We're almost the same size and you would look so nice in
blue, Louisa. I wouldn't tell a single soul."

Louisa dried her eyes and reached for the dish mop.

"I'm ashamed of myself," she declared briskly. "I don't know what made
me cry like that--Alec and the boys would think I had lost my mind.
No, I couldn't take a dress from you, Rosemary--I don't really need it,
anyway. Thank you, just the same. We need so many things that I vow
there is no place to begin to replenish; a dress would be a drop in the
bucket."

They both laughed a little at Louisa's mixed metaphor and the laughter
cleared away the last trace of the tears. As they washed and dried the
mountains of dishes, Louisa explained that what was really troubling
her, was the interest.

"The interest on the mortgage, you know," she said earnestly. "It is
due the first of September. Mr. Greenleaf holds the mortgage and Alec
is desperately afraid he will foreclose."

Rosemary's experience with mortgages dated from that minute, but she
sensed the importance of the interest.

"Perhaps the potatoes--" she suggested hopefully, having great faith in
Alec's main crop.

"We owe for the seed and the fertilizer," answered Louisa. "And last
year's taxes are not paid; and if we do manage to scrape together
enough to pay the interest, I don't see what we're going to live on the
rest of the year."

Rosemary had to admit that the outlook was discouraging. She scoured a
paring knife thoughtfully and polished it off before she ventured a new
suggestion.

"Why doesn't Alec go to this Mr. Greenleaf, and tell him that he is
having a hard time?" Rosemary proposed. "Ask him to wait a little
longer for his money. Hugh waits when people can not pay him; I heard
Winnie say that he never collects a bill, but waits for the money."

Louisa looked graver than ever.

"The one thing we must never do, and you must never, never tell," she
said impressively, "is to go to Mr. Greenleaf. Just as soon as it is
known in town that we are having a hard time to get along, do you know
what will happen? They'll take the farm away from us and send us to
the poor farm--probably bind Alec and me out and separate the family
for good and all. My fath