rocky."

"Swampy, you mean, mother," corrected Elnora. She arose white and
trembling. "Perhaps some day God will teach me how to understand you. He
knows I do not now. You can't possibly realize just what you let me
go through to-day, or how you let me go, but I'll tell you this: You
understand enough that if you had the money, and would offer it to me,
I wouldn't touch it now. And I'll tell you this much more. I'll get
it myself. I'll raise it, and do it some honest way. I am going back
to-morrow, the next day, and the next. You need not come out, I'll do
the night work, and hoe the turnips."

It was ten o'clock when the chickens, pigs, and cattle were fed, the
turnips hoed, and a heap of bean vines was stacked beside the back door.

CHAPTER II

WHEREIN WESLEY AND MARGARET GO SHOPPING, AND ELNORA'S WARDROBE IS
REPLENISHED

Wesley Sinton walked down the road half a mile and turned at the lane
leading to his home. His heart was hot and filled with indignation. He
had told Elnora he did not blame her mother, but he did. His wife met
him at the door.

"Did you see anything of Elnora?" she questioned.

"Most too much, Maggie," he answered. "What do you say to going to town?
There's a few things has to be got right away."

"Where did you see her, Wesley?"

"Along the old Limberlost trail, my girl, torn to pieces sobbing. Her
courage always has been fine, but the thing she met to-day was too much
for her. We ought to have known better than to let her go that way. It
wasn't only clothes; there were books, and entrance fees for out-of-town
people, that she didn't know about; while there must have been jeers,
whispers, and laughing. Maggie, I feel as if I'd been a traitor to
those girls of ours. I ought to have gone in and seen about this school
business. Don't cry, Maggie. Get me some supper, and I'll hitch up and
see what we can do now."

"What can we do, Wesley?

"I don't just know. But we've got to do something. Kate Comstock will be
a handful, while Elnora will be two, but between us we must see that the
girl is not too hard pressed about money, and that she is dressed so she
is not ridiculous. She's saved us the wages of a woman many a day, can't
you make her some decent dresses?"

"Well, I'm not just what you call expert, but I could beat Kate Comstock
all to pieces. I know that skirts should be pleated to the band instead
of gathered, and full enough to sit in, and short enough to walk in. I
cou