son, but he explained that he thought he could talk better to Alec
and Louisa alone.

"I'm just going to wander over there and tell 'em that Richard Gilbert
sent me," he said. "I'll say he heard I wanted to buy a small place
and that I thought they might be in the market. I'll tell you all
about it, soon as I get back."

They watched him start "across lots" to the Gay farm and then Sarah
went into the house to ask her mother to put away the money.

"You've sold Bony, dear?" echoed Mrs. Willis when she heard the news.
"And for all this money? Who bought him, Sarah? When did you sell
your pig?"

Sarah told her about Mr. Robinson, and Rosemary and Shirley listened
eagerly for they had not heard the details, nor learned how Sarah had
met the circus agent.

"I always said Bony was a smart pig!" wound up Sarah, watching her
mother counting the money into a little black tin box, fitted with a
lock and key.

"But Sarah dear, I thought you were very fond of Bony," said Mrs.
Willis. "Why did you want to sell him--and what are you planning to do
with all this money?"

"It's a secret," declared Sarah, setting her lips tightly.

"Oh, lamb! Don't you want to tell Mother?"

Sarah shook her head so violently her black hair whipped across her
eyes.

"Nobody must ever tell--never, never, never!" she asserted and,
catching Shirley by the hand, she ran out of the room, dragging her
small sister with her.

Rosemary's beautiful blue eyes turned to her mother's troubled ones.

"It's all right, Mother," she urged. "Really it is; the man wanted to
buy the pig--he told Rich it was very cleverly trained. And what Sarah
wants to do with the money won't be a secret after the first of
September. She'll tell you then."

"I'll have to hold it for her until she does tell me," said Mrs. Willis
quietly. "I don't see how Sarah could bring herself to part with Bony,
Rosemary; she has been devoted to him."

Rosemary wanted to tell of the motive that had prompted Sarah's
sacrifice, but thought she was in honor bound not to. So she went
downstairs to her practising, wondering what Louisa and Alec were
saying to Mr. Robinson and whether he would buy the farm from them.

Sarah and her pig disappeared till dinner time and if during the meal
the former seemed more silent than usual it might easily have been
because she was tired.

Mrs. Hildreth came for one of her rare chats with Mrs. Willis after
dinner that night and then the gi