dress. Her last
investment was a loose coat of soft gray broadcloth with white lining,
and touches of lavender on the embroidered collar, and gray gloves to
match.

Then she went home, rested and worked by turns until Monday. When school
closed on that evening, Elnora, so tired she almost trembled, came down
the long walk after a late session of teachers' meeting, to be stopped
by a messenger boy.

"There's a lady wants to see you most important. I am to take you to the
place," he said.

Elnora groaned. She could not imagine who wanted her, but there was
nothing to do but find out; tired and anxious to see her mother as she
was.

"This is the place," said the boy, and went his way whistling. Elnora
was three blocks from the high school building on the same street. She
was before a quaint old house, fresh with paint and covered with vines.
There was a long wide lot, grass-covered, closely set with trees, and
a barn and chicken park at the back that seemed to be occupied. Elnora
stepped on the veranda which was furnished with straw rugs, bent-hickory
chairs, hanging baskets, and a table with a work-box and magazines, and
knocked at the screen door.

Inside she could see polished floors, walls freshly papered in low-toned
harmonious colours, straw rugs and madras curtains. It seemed to be a
restful, homelike place to which she had come. A second later down an
open stairway came a tall, dark-eyed woman with cheeks faintly pink and
a crown of fluffy snow-white hair. She wore a lavender gingham dress
with white collar and cuffs, and she called as she advanced: "That
screen isn't latched! Open it and come see your brand-new mother, my
girl."

Elnora stepped inside the door. "Mother!" she cried. "You my mother! I
don't believe it!"

"Well, you better!" said Mrs. Comstock, "because it's true! You said you
wished I were like the other girls' mothers, and I've shot as close the
mark as I could without any practice. I thought that walk would be too
much for you this winter, so I just rented this house and moved in, to
be near you, and help more in case I'm needed. I've only lived here a
day, but I like it so well I've a mortal big notion to buy the place."

"But mother!" protested Elnora, clinging to her wonderingly. "You are
perfectly beautiful, and this house is a little paradise, but how will
we ever pay for it? We can't afford it!"

"Humph! Have you forgotten I telegraphed you I'd found some money I
didn't know abo