agon for Topeka, two days distant. Railroad fare was not
to be considered, and two new dresses and a new pair of shoes--not
side-laces--were all the additions to her wardrobe.

Susan Hornby was much annoyed at the delay, but met the young girl with
open arms when she arrived.

She was less happy in accosting Mr. Farnshaw.

"Why in this world did you keep her so late? Half the year is gone!" was
her luckless remark to him.

"She's doin' mighty well t' get t' come at all," Mr. Farnshaw replied,
taking instant offence. "I'm th' only man in our part of th' country
that's givin' 'is childern any show at th' high school at all, I can tell
you. I knew I wouldn't get no thanks for it from th' beginnin'. That's th'
way with things nowadays," was his reply.

"Oh, well, we all know you have needed her, and that it's hard to spare a
child on the farm, but we were so anxious to have her have all that could
be got out of this year," Mrs. Hornby said, divided between a desire to
scold the man and a real disinclination to hurt any one. So much valuable
time had been lost. She saw that she must be politic for Elizabeth's sake,
however, for the child's appearance told the experienced woman that she
must keep him in a good humour and inveigle him into giving her a little
money for clothes.

"We'll just make the best of the time that is left, little girl," Mrs.
Hornby said cheerfully, and in that only added to the impression already
made, for Mr. Farnshaw remembered his daughter's tears, and the feeling
grew that instead of being lauded for what he considered a great sacrifice
on his part, he was coming in for a blame wholly unexpected, and that this
woman was siding with the girl and going to spoil her. People of the farm,
more than any other class, resent being blamed, and Josiah Farnshaw was an
extreme representative of his class. He had come to Topeka delighted with
himself because of the fine opportunities he was giving his daughter, and
here was this woman at the first word finding fault because he had not
done better; it was no wonder that children were not satisfied with
anything a man could give them!

There was now no possibility of Elizabeth entering school till after
Christmas, and Aunt Susan turned her attention to efforts to get the most
out of the time they would have to reorganize the poorly constructed
dresses. She was considerate of Mr. Farnshaw's evident sensitiveness,
seeing also that he had no real comprehension