ts would do much good in some
other direction.' 'Perhaps,' I said, 'I can get a coat for less than
the price you have fixed upon, if I get the two together.' She
wasn't so sure of that. Then I said, 'I have a little work that I
promised a friend of mine to do for her, typewritten slips, which
Marian could do perfectly. If I go to the city on Saturday I cannot
get them all done as promptly as they should be, but if Marian could
help me, I could share the pay and she could then make her own
expenses.' At this grandma succumbed, and so, my dear, we are going.
Now, I must go, for you will never do twenty slips before dark if I
stand talking. That looks very well. Keep on as you have begun and
you have nothing to fear."

Left to herself Marian tapped away industriously till just as it was
getting too dark to see, she finished her twenty slips and proudly
showed them to Miss Dorothy when she came in. The first money she
had ever really earned was placed in her hand.

"If you don't get your entire sixty done this week," said Miss
Dorothy, "you can hitch some of them on to next week's number, for
we agreed to square this matter. So you needn't go to town with the
feeling that you haven't earned the trip, whatever happens."

Marian smiled back her reply and ran down to show her precious dime
to her grandfather. He actually patted her on the head and called
her a good child while her grandmother looked over her spectacles
and nodded approval.

The next day the second twenty slips were finished, but the third
day only ten were done as Miss Dorothy had to use her typewriter for
some school work, yet with only ten remaining of the first sixty,
Marian felt that she had no right to feel aggrieved, especially as
it had become very easy work. So it was a very happy little girl who
went to sleep Friday night to dream of the next day's pleasures.

_CHAPTER VIII_

_A Trip to Town_

The morning dawned bright and fair, a little cool, to be sure, but
so much the better, thought Marian, for now grandma will be all the
more ready for me to get my coat. The leaves danced in red, yellow
and brown array, along the side-walk as Marian and Miss Dorothy
stepped out of the house to take the early train. It was such an
important occasion that Marian felt as if every one must be
wondering where she was going so early, dressed in her best. But no
one took any special notice of her except one of the schoolgirls
whom she happened to meet,