"
"You mean for me to wear an old washed dress to-night?"
"It's a good dress. There isn't a hole in it! There's no reason on earth
why you shouldn't wear it."
"Except that I will not," said Elnora. "Didn't you provide any dress for
Commencement, either?"
"If you soil that to-night, I've plenty of time to wash it again."
Wesley's voice called from the gate.
"In a minute," answered Elnora.
She ran upstairs and in an incredibly short time came down wearing one
of her gingham school dresses. Her face cold and hard, she passed her
mother and went into the night. Half an hour later Margaret and Billy
stopped for Mrs. Comstock with the carriage. She had determined fully
that she would not go before they called. With the sound of their voices
a sort of horror of being left seized her, so she put on her hat, locked
the door and went out to them.
"How did Elnora look?" inquired Margaret anxiously.
"Like she always does," answered Mrs. Comstock curtly.
"I do hope her dresses are as pretty as the others," said Margaret.
"None of them will have prettier faces or nicer ways."
Wesley was waiting before the big church to take care of the team. As
they stood watching the people enter the building, Mrs. Comstock felt
herself growing ill. When they went inside among the lights, saw the
flower-decked stage, and the masses of finely dressed people, she grew
no better. She could hear Margaret and Billy softly commenting on what
was being done.
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