t at first, but I want her to
have it before she is too old to enjoy it. Next summer I'll take her
down new furniture and carpets, so she'll have something to look forward
to all winter.'

I watched Lena sitting there so smooth and sunny and well-cared-for, and
thought of how she used to run barefoot over the prairie until after
the snow began to fly, and how Crazy Mary chased her round and round
the cornfields. It seemed to me wonderful that she should have got on so
well in the world. Certainly she had no one but herself to thank for it.

'You must feel proud of yourself, Lena,' I said heartily. 'Look at me;
I've never earned a dollar, and I don't know that I'll ever be able to.'

'Tony says you're going to be richer than Mr. Harling some day. She's
always bragging about you, you know.'

'Tell me, how IS Tony?'

'She's fine. She works for Mrs. Gardener at the hotel now. She's
housekeeper. Mrs. Gardener's health isn't what it was, and she can't
see after everything like she used to. She has great confidence in Tony.
Tony's made it up with the Harlings, too. Little Nina is so fond of her
that Mrs. Harling kind of overlooked things.'

'Is she still going with Larry Donovan?'

'Oh, that's on, worse than ever! I guess they're engaged. Tony talks
about him like he was president of the railroad. Everybody laughs about
it, because she was never a girl to be soft. She won't hear a word
against him. She's so sort of innocent.'

I said I didn't like Larry, and never would.

Lena's face dimpled. 'Some of us could tell her things, but it wouldn't
do any good. She'd always believe him. That's Antonia's failing, you
know; if she once likes people, she won't hear anything against them.'

'I think I'd better go home and look after Antonia,' I said.

'I think you had.' Lena looked up at me in frank amusement. 'It's a good
thing the Harlings are friendly with her again. Larry's afraid of them.
They ship so much grain, they have influence with the railroad people.
What are you studying?' She leaned her elbows on the table and drew my
book toward her. I caught a faint odour of violet sachet. 'So that's
Latin, is it? It looks hard. You do go to the theatre sometimes, though,
for I've seen you there. Don't you just love a good play, Jim? I can't
stay at home in the evening if there's one in town. I'd be willing to
work like a slave, it seems to me, to live in a place where there are
theatres.'

'Let's go to a show together som