all the money for myself,
so I saved enough from the Indian relics to get a few things I wanted.
I would have liked to have gotten her a dress, but I didn't dare, so I
compromised on a book."

"What did you select, Elnora?" asked Wesley wonderingly.

"Well," said she, "I have noticed mother always seemed interested in
anything Mark Twain wrote in the newspapers, and I thought it would
cheer her up a little, so I just got his 'Innocents Abroad.' I haven't
read it myself, but I've seen mention made of it all my life, and the
critics say it's genuine fun."

"Good!" cried Sinton. "Good! You've made a splendid choice. It will take
her mind off herself a lot. But she will scold you."

"Of course," assented Elnora. "But, possibly she will read it, and feel
better. I'm going to serve her a trick. I am going to hide it until
Monday, and set it on her little shelf of books the last thing before
I go away. She must have all of them by heart. When, she sees a new one
she can't help being glad, for she loves to read, and if she has all day
to become interested, maybe she'll like it so she won't scold so much."

"We are both in for it, but I guess we are prepared. I don't know what
Margaret will say, but I'm going to take Billy home and see. Maybe he
can win with her, as he did with us."

Elnora had doubts, but she did not say anything more. When they started
home Billy sat on the front seat. He drove with the hitching strap tied
to the railing of the dash-board, flourished the whip, and yelled with
delight. At first Sinton laughed with him, but by the time he left
Elnora with several packages at her gate, he was looking serious enough.

Margaret was at the door as they drove up the lane. Wesley left Billy in
the carriage, hitched the horses and went to explain to her. He had not
reached her before she cried, "Look, Wesley, that child! You'll have a
runaway!"

Wesley looked and ran. Billy was standing in the carriage slashing the
mettlesome horses with the whip.

"See me make 'em go!" he shouted as the whip fell a second time.

He did make them go. They took the hitching post and a few fence
palings, which scraped the paint from a wheel. Sinton missed the lines
at the first effort, but the dragging post impeded the horses, and he
soon caught them. He led them to the barn, and ordered Billy to remain
in the carriage while he unhitched. Then leading Billy and carrying his
packages he entered the yard.

"You run play a few