"I couldn't buy this much stuff for any other woman and nothing for my
own," said Wesley. "It's Christmas for you, too, Margaret!" He shook out
fold after fold of soft gray satiny goods that would look lovely against
Margaret's pink cheeks and whitening hair.
"Oh, you old darling!" she exclaimed, and fled sobbing into his arms.
But she soon dried her eyes, raked together the coals in the cooking
stove and boiled one of the dress patterns in salt water for half an
hour. Wesley held the lamp while she hung the goods on the line to dry.
Then she set the irons on the stove so they would be hot the first thing
in the morning.
CHAPTER III
WHEREIN ELNORA VISITS THE BIRD WOMAN, AND OPENS A BANK ACCOUNT
Four o'clock the following morning Elnora was shelling beans. At six she
fed the chickens and pigs, swept two of the rooms of the cabin, built a
fire, and put on the kettle for breakfast. Then she climbed the narrow
stairs to the attic she had occupied since a very small child, and
dressed in the hated shoes and brown calico, plastered down her crisp
curls, ate what breakfast she could, and pinning on her hat started for
town.
"There is no sense in your going for an hour yet," said her mother.
"I must try to discover some way to earn those books," replied Elnora.
"I am perfectly positive I shall not find them lying beside the road
wrapped in tissue paper, and tagged with my name."
She went toward the city as on yesterday.
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