Wesley drew Billy back to the walk, and held his hand closely. "Are you
ready, Elnora?"
"Yes; you were gone a long time," she said.
Wesley glanced at a package she carried. "Have to have another book?" he
asked.
"No, I bought this for mother. I've had such splendid luck selling my
specimens, I didn't feel right about keeping all the money for myself,
so I saved enough from the Indian relics to get a few things I wanted.
I would have liked to have gotten her a dress, but I didn't dare, so I
compromised on a book."
"What did you select, Elnora?" asked Wesley wonderingly.
"Well," said she, "I have noticed mother always seemed interested in
anything Mark Twain wrote in the newspapers, and I thought it would
cheer her up a little, so I just got his 'Innocents Abroad.' I haven't
read it myself, but I've seen mention made of it all my life, and the
critics say it's genuine fun."
"Good!" cried Sinton. "Good! You've made a splendid choice. It will take
her mind off herself a lot. But she will scold you."
"Of course," assented Elnora. "But, possibly she will read it, and feel
better. I'm going to serve her a trick. I am going to hide it until
Monday, and set it on her little shelf of books the last thing before
I go away. She must have all of them by heart. When, she sees a new one
she can't help being glad, for she loves to read, and if she has all day
to become interested, maybe she'll like it so she won't scold so much.
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