le? Taking
out the extra fulness from the back and using it in folds, I could hide
where it's getting worn on the seams."

"I s'pose we'd have a better choice of styles by waiting for next
month's book," said Mrs. Hornblower, regarding the model Persis had
indicated with an evident lack of favor. "But my plans are so
unsettled that I want to hurry through my dress-making. I dare say
you've heard we're likely to leave Clematis 'most any time."

"I'd heard it hinted, but I didn't take much stock in it. Clematis
would be sorry to lose you, and it would be pretty hard on you leaving
Clematis."

Mrs. Hornblower smiled. "Oh, I haven't a thing against Clematis,
Persis. Robert says that of course it doesn't give a man any kind of a
chance to make money and I guess he's right. I believe in leaving such
things for the men-folks to settle. These new-fangled women who are
always setting up to know best and saying what they will do and what
they won't do, can't have much of an opinion of the Bible. I'm sure it
says as plain as the nose on your face 'wives obey your husbands,' and
'where thou goest I will go.'"

Persis scrutinized the back breadths of the lavender foulard. "But
Ruth was talking to her mother-in-law," she objected, off her guard for
the instant, since only the death of Mrs. Hornblower senior, had ended
the hostilities between herself and her son's wife. Then regretting
her tactless words, she hastened to say, "Don't you think that when a
man gets to Mr. Hornblower's age, he does better in work he's used to
than if he tries his hand at something new? It's easy enough
transplanting a sapling, but an old tree's different."

"It all depends," replied Mrs. Hornblower coldly, piqued, as Persis had
feared, by her reference to the delicate subject. But her desire to
dazzle the plodding dressmaker with visions of her future prosperity,
proved too much for her resentment. And soon, as they ripped and
basted, Mrs. Hornblower was dilating on the unparalleled opportunity
for wealth furnished by the Apple of Eden Investment Company. She
quoted freely from its literature and outlined, with more or less
detail, the care-free and opulent existence upon which the family of
Hornblower would enter when the farm had been sold and the proceeds
wisely invested.

"It's a disappointment to me that the whole thing isn't settled and
done with by this time. But I always leave Robert to decide such
matters, and Robert thou