he walk between the rows of asters and lady slippers he was
perspiring, and every plausible and convincing speech had fled his
brain. Mrs. Comstock helped him. She met him at the door.

"Good morning," she said. "Did Margaret send you for something?"

"Yes," said Wesley. "She's got a job that's too big for her, and she
wants you to help."

"Of course I will," said Mrs. Comstock. It was no one's affair how
lonely the previous day had been, or how the endless hours of the
present would drag. "What is she doing in such a rush?"

Now was his chance.

"She's making a dress for Elnora," answered, Wesley. He saw Mrs.
Comstock's form straighten, and her face harden, so he continued
hastily. "You see Elnora has been helping us at harvest time,
butchering, and with unexpected visitors for years. We've made out that
she's saved us a considerable sum, and as she wouldn't ever touch any
pay for anything, we just went to town and got a few clothes we thought
would fix her up a little for the high school. We want to get a dress
done to-day mighty bad, but Margaret is slow about sewing, and she never
can finish alone, so I came after you."

"And it's such a simple little matter, so dead easy; and all so between
old friends like, that you can't look above your boots while you explain
it," sneered Mrs. Comstock. "Wesley Sinton, what put the idea into your
head that Elnora would take things bought with money, when she wouldn't
take the money?"

Then Sinton's eyes came up straightly.

"Finding her on the trail last night sobbing as hard as I ever saw any
one at a funeral. She wasn't complaining at all, but she's come to me
all her life with her little hurts, and she couldn't hide how she'd been
laughed at, twitted, and run face to face against the fact that there
were books and tuition, unexpected, and nothing will ever make me
believe you didn't know that, Kate Comstock."

"If any doubts are troubling you on that subject, sure I knew it! She
was so anxious to try the world, I thought I'd just let her take a few
knocks and see how she liked them."

"As if she'd ever taken anything but knocks all her life!" cried Wesley
Sinton. "Kate Comstock, you are a heartless, selfish woman. You've never
shown Elnora any real love in her life. If ever she finds out that thing
you'll lose her, and it will serve you right."

"She knows it now," said Mrs. Comstock icily, "and she'll be home
to-night just as usual."

"Well, you are a brave wo