Never did food disappear faster.
The salad went next, and a sandwich and half a chicken breast followed.
"I better leave the rest for Jimmy and Belle," he said, "they're 'ist
fightin' hungry."
Elnora gave him the remainder of the carefully prepared lunch. The boy
clutched it and ran with a sidewise hop like a wild thing. She covered
the dishes and cup, polished the spoon, replaced it, and closed the
case. She caught her breath in a tremulous laugh.
"If Aunt Margaret knew that, she'd never forgive me," she said. "It
seems as if secrecy is literally forced upon me, and I hate it. What
shall I do for lunch? I'll have to sell my arrows and keep enough money
for a restaurant sandwich."
So she walked hurriedly into town, sold her points at a good price,
deposited her funds, and went away with a neat little bank book and the
note from the Limberlost carefully folded inside. Elnora passed down the
hall that morning, and no one paid the slightest attention to her.
The truth was she looked so like every one else that she was perfectly
inconspicuous. But in the coat room there were members of her class.
Surely no one intended it, but the whisper was too loud.
"Look at the girl from the Limberlost in the clothes that woman gave
her!"
Elnora turned on them. "I beg your pardon," she said unsteadily, "I
couldn't help hearing that! No one gave me these clothes. I paid for
them myself."
Some one muttered, "Pardon me," but incredulous faces greeted her.
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