e the other
girl stand a little in awe of her, "you mustn't listen to gossip. It isn't
worth while. I'm sure my sister Kate will be very happy. I'm going in the
store now, are you?" And the conversation was suddenly concluded.

Mary Ann followed meekly watching with wonder and envy as Marcia made her
bargain with the kindly merchant, and selected her chintz. What a
delicious swish the scissors made as they went through the width of cloth,
and how delightfully the paper crackled as the bundle was being wrapped!
Mary Ann did not know whether Kate or Marcia was more to be envied.

"Did you say you were going to make it up yourself?" asked Mary Ann.

Marcia nodded.

"Oh, my! Ain't you afraid? I would be. It's the prettiest I ever saw.
Don't you go and cut both sleeves for one arm. That's what I did the only
time Ma ever let me try." And Mary Ann touched the package under Marcia's
arm with wistful fingers.

They had reached the turn of the road and Mary Ann hoped that Marcia would
ask her out to "help," but Marcia had no such purpose.

"Well, good-bye! Will you wear it next Sunday?" she asked.

"Perhaps," answered Marcia breathlessly, and sped on her homeward way, her
cheeks bright with excitement.

[Illustration: Copyright by C. Klackner
KATE AND HER STEPMOTHER WERE GONE UP TO THE NEIGHBORING TOWN ON THE
PACKET.]

Copyright by C. Klackner
KATE AND HER STEPMOTHER WERE GONE UP TO THE NEIGHBORING TOWN ON THE
PACKET.

In her own room she spread the chintz out upon the bed and with trembling
fingers set about her task. The bright shears clipped the edge and tore
off the lengths exultantly as if in league with the girl. The bees hummed
outside in the clover, and now and again buzzed between the muslin
curtains of the open window, looked in and grumbled out again. The birds
sang across the meadows and the sun mounted to the zenith and began its
downward march, but still the busy fingers worked on. Well for Marcia's
scheme that the fashion of the day was simple, wherein were few puckers
and plaits and tucks, and little trimming required, else her task would
have been impossible.

Her heart beat high as she tried it on at last, the new chintz that she
had made. She went into the spare room and stood before the long mirror in
its wide gilt frame that rested on two gilt knobs standing out from the
wall like g