chicks under her care. The cows went out to pasture. Holcroft brought in an
increasing number of overflowing pails of milk, and if the labors of the dairy
grew more exacting, they also grew more profitable. The tide had turned;
income was larger than outgo, and it truly seemed to the long-harassed man
that an era of peace and prosperity had set in.

To a superficial observer things might have appeared to be going on much as
before, but there were influences at work which Holcroft did not clearly
comprehend.

As Alida had promised herself, she spent all the money which the eggs brought
in, but Holcroft found pretty muslin curtains at the parlor windows, and
shades which excluded the glare from the kitchen. Better china took the place
of that which was cracked and unsightly. In brief, a subtle and refining
touch was apparent all over the house.

"How fine we are getting!" he remarked one evening at supper.

"I've only made a beginning," she replied, nodding defiantly at him. "The
chickens will paint the house before the year is over."

"Phew! When do the silk dresses come in?"

"When your broadcloth does."

"Well, if this goes on, I shall certainly have to wear purple and fine linen
to keep pace."

"Fine linen, certainly. When you take the next lot of eggs to town I shall
tell you just the number of yards I need to make half a dozen extra fine