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