trying until you do find it. Will you?"
"It seems I can't help myself." Sonia's voice was still sulky.
"Will you? I must have your promise," Olga insisted, and finally Sonia
flung out an angry,
"Yes!"
Thereafter Olga worked at home and her sister went out morning or
afternoon--sometimes both; but she found no position.
"They all want younger girls--chits of sixteen or seventeen," she
complained, "or else those who have had large experience. They won't
give me a chance."
Olga crowded down her doubts. Perhaps it was all true--perhaps Sonia
really had honestly tried, but the doubts would return, for she felt
that her sister was quite content to let things remain as they were as
long as Olga made no further protest. But others were not content with
things as they were. Elizabeth was not, nor Lizette. Laura met Lizette
on the street one day and learned all that the girl could tell her of
Olga's trouble.
"She's so changed!" Lizette said, her eyes filling. "When we came home
she was so happy, and so full of plans for Camp Fire work, and now--now
she takes no interest in it at all. She won't talk about it, or hardly
listen when I talk."
"I must see her," Laura said. "I'll take you home now," and when they
reached the house, Lizette ran eagerly up the stairs to give Miss
Laura's message.
"I've come to invite you to another tea party--with Jim and me," Laura
said when Olga appeared. "You will come--to-morrow night?"
"Thank you, but I can't," the girl answered gravely.
"Why can't you, Olga? I want you very much," Laura urged.
"My sister is with me now. I cannot leave her."
"But just this once--please, Olga."
Laura's eyes--warm, loving, compelling--looked into Olga's, dark,
sombre, and miserable; and suddenly with a little gasping sob the girl
yielded because she knew if she stood there another minute she would
break down.
"I'll--come," she promised, and without another word turned and hurried
back into the house.
Laura was half afraid that she would not keep her promise, but at six
o'clock she appeared. Jim fell upon her with a gleeful welcome, and she
tried to answer gaily, but the effort with which she did it was evident,
and earlier than usual Laura took the boy off to bed.
"Something is troubling Olga," she whispered as she tucked him in, "and
I'm going to try to find a way to help her."
"You will," he said confidently. "You're the best ever for helping
folks," and he pulled her face d
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