Then because she was a woman, she sat on a log and
looked at her shoes. Long after the Bird Woman
drove away Elnora remained. She had her problem,
and it was a big one. If she told her mother,
would she take the money to pay the taxes? If
she did not tell her, how could she account for the
books, and things for which she would spend it.
At last she counted out what she needed for the next
day, placed the remainder in the farthest corner of
the case, and locked the door. She then filled
the front of her skirt from a heap of arrow points
beneath the case and started home.
WHEREIN THE SINTONS ARE DISAPPOINTED, AND MRS. COMSTOCK LEARNS THAT SHE
CAN LAUGH
With the first streak of red above the Limberlost
Margaret Sinton was busy with the gingham and the
intricate paper pattern she had purchased. Wesley
cooked the breakfast and worked until he thought Elnora
would be gone, then he started to bring her mother.
“Now you be mighty careful,” cautioned
Margaret. “I don’t know how she will
take it.”
“I don’t either,” said Wesley philosophically,
“but she’s got to take it some way.
That dress has to be finished by school time in the
morning.”
Wesley had not slept well that night. He had
been so busy framing diplomatic speeches to make to
Mrs. Comstock that sleep had little chance with him.
Every step nearer to her he approached his position
seemed less enviable. By the time he reached the
front gate and started down the 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?”
