he knows more than the teachers
about any nature question that comes up, and she is going to lead all of
them in mathematics, and make them work in any branch."

When Elnora entered the coat room after having had luncheon with Ellen
Brownlee there was such a difference in the atmosphere that she could
feel it.

"I am almost sorry I have these clothes," she said to Ellen.

"In the name of sense, why?" cried the astonished girl.

"Every one is so nice to me in them, it sets me to wondering if in time
I could have made them be equally friendly in the others."

Ellen looked at her introspectively. "I believe you could," she
announced at last. "But it would have taken time and heartache, and your
mind would have been less free to work on your studies. No one is happy
without friends, and I just simply can't study when I am unhappy."

That night the Bird Woman made the last trip to the swamp. Every
specimen she possibly could use had been purchased at a fair price, and
three additions had been made to the bank book, carrying the total a
little past two hundred dollars. There remained the Indian relics to
sell on Saturday, and Elnora had secured the order to furnish material
for nature work for the grades. Life suddenly grew very full. There was
the most excitingly interesting work for every hour, and that work was
to pay high school expenses and start the college fund. There was one
little rift in her joy. All of it would have been so much better if she
could have told her mother, and given the money into her keeping; but
the struggle to get a start had been so terrible, Elnora was afraid to
take the risk. When she reached home, she only told her mother that the
last of the things had been sold that evening.

"I think," said Mrs. Comstock, "that we will ask Wesley to move that box
over here back of the garden for you. There you are apt to get tolled
farther into the swamp than you intend to go, and you might mire or
something. There ought to be just the same things in our woods, and
along our swampy places, as there are in the Limberlost. Can't you hunt
your stuff here?"

"I can try," said Elnora. "I don't know what I can find until I do. Our
woods are undisturbed, and there is a possibility they might be even
better hunting than the swamp. But I wouldn't have Freckles's case moved
for the world. He might come back some day, and not like it. I've tried
to keep his room the best I could, and taking out the box would ma