she asked again,
this time impatiently.

"That's the tassel of the cornstock," said Elnora with a forced laugh.

The response was genuine. Every one shouted. Sadie Reed blushed, but she
laughed also.

"Well, it's beautiful," she said, "especially the quills. They are
exactly what I want. I know I don't deserve any kindness from you, but I
do wish you would tell me at whose store you found those quills."

"Gladly!" said Elnora. "You can't buy quills like those at a store. They
are from a living bird. Phoebe Simms gathers them in her orchard as her
peacocks shed them. They are wing quills from the males."

Then there was perfect silence. How was Elnora to know that not a girl
there would have told that?

"I haven't a doubt but I can get you some," she offered. "She gave Aunt
Margaret a large bunch, and those are part of them. I am quite sure she
has more, and would spare some."

Sadie Reed laughed shortly. "You needn't trouble," she said, "I was
fooled. I thought they were expensive quills. I wanted them for a
twenty-dollar velvet toque to match my new suit. If they are gathered
from the ground, really, I couldn't use them."

"Only in spots!" said Elnora. "They don't just cover the earth. Phoebe
Simms's peacocks are the only ones within miles of Onabasha, and they
moult but once a year. If your hat cost only twenty dollars, it's
scarcely good enough for those quills. You see, the Almighty made and
coloured those Himself; and He puts the same kind on Phoebe Simms's
peacocks that He put on the head of the family in the forests of Ceylon,
away back in the beginning. Any old manufactured quill from New York
or Chicago will do for your little twenty-dollar hat. You should have
something infinitely better than that to be worthy of quills that are
made by the Creator."

How those girls did laugh! One of them walked with Elnora to the
auditorium, sat beside her during exercises, and tried to talk whenever
she dared, to keep Elnora from seeing the curious and admiring looks
bent upon her.

For the brown-eyed boy whistled, and there was pantomime of all sorts
going on behind Elnora's back that day. Happy with her books, no one
knew how much she saw, and from her absorption in her studies it was
evident she cared too little to notice.

After school she went again to the home of the Bird Woman, and together
they visited the swamp and carried away more specimens. This time Elnora
asked the Bird Woman to keep the money un