ld try. There are patterns for sale. Let's go right away, Wesley."

"Set me a bit of supper, while I hitch up."

Margaret built a fire, made coffee, and fried ham and eggs. She set out
pie and cake and had enough for a hungry man by the time the carriage
was at the door, but she had no appetite. She dressed while Wesley ate,
put away the food while he dressed, and then they drove toward the city
through the beautiful September evening, and as they went they planned
for Elnora. The trouble was, not whether they were generous enough to
buy what she needed, but whether she would accept their purchases, and
what her mother would say.

They went to a drygoods store and when a clerk asked what they wanted
to see neither of them knew, so they stepped aside and held a whispered
consultation.

"What had we better get, Wesley?"

"Dresses," said Wesley promptly,

"But how many dresses, and what kind?"

"Blest if I know!" exclaimed Wesley. "I thought you would manage that. I
know about some things I'm going to get."

At that instant several high school girls came into the store and
approached them.

"There!" exclaimed Wesley breathlessly. "There, Maggie! Like them!
That's what she needs! Buy like they have!"

Margaret stared. What did they wear? They were rapidly passing; they
seemed to have so much, and she could not decide so quickly. Before she
knew it she was among them.

"I beg your pardon, but won't you wait one minute?" she asked.

The girls stopped with wondering faces.

"It's your clothes," explained Mrs. Sinton. "You look just beautiful to
me. You look exactly as I should have wanted to see my girls. They both
died of diphtheria when they were little, but they had yellow hair, dark
eyes and pink cheeks, and everybody thought they were lovely. If they
had lived, they'd been near your age now, and I'd want them to look like
you."

There was sympathy on every girl face.

"Why thank you!" said one of them. "We are very sorry for you."

"Of course you are," said Margaret. "Everybody always has been. And
because I can't ever have the joy of a mother in thinking for my girls
and buying pretty things for them, there is nothing left for me, but to
do what I can for some one who has no mother to care for her. I know a
girl, who would be just as pretty as any of you, if she had the clothes,
but her mother does not think about her, so I mother her some myself."

"She must be a lucky girl," said another.

"Oh, s