Sunday was Ellen's last day at home, and she wanted
Elnora very much. She had to call together the orchestra and practise
them Sunday; and could not come home until after school Monday night.
Mrs. Comstock at once answered the letter saying those arrangements
suited her.
The following day she was a pale pink, later a delicate porcelain white.
Then she went to a hairdresser and had the rope of snowy hair which
covered her scalp washed, dressed, and fastened with such pins and combs
as were decided to be most becoming. She took samples of her dresses,
went to a milliner, and bought a street hat to match her suit, and a
gray satin with lavender orchids to wear with the silk dress. Her last
investment was a loose coat of soft gray broadcloth with white lining,
and touches of lavender on the embroidered collar, and gray gloves to
match.
Then she went home, rested and worked by turns until Monday. When school
closed on that evening, Elnora, so tired she almost trembled, came down
the long walk after a late session of teachers' meeting, to be stopped
by a messenger boy.
"There's a lady wants to see you most important. I am to take you to the
place," he said.
Elnora groaned. She could not imagine who wanted her, but there was
nothing to do but find out; tired and anxious to see her mother as she
was.
"This is the place," said the boy, and went his way whistling. Elnora
was three blocks from the high school building on the same street.
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