ts, Kate."

Mrs. Comstock had gone around to the back door and answered from the
kitchen. "You know more about it than I do. Go ahead! I'm getting
supper. Don't forget to allow for what it will shrink in washing!"

"I set the colours and washed the goods last night; it can be made to
fit right now," answered Margaret.

When she could find nothing more to alter she told Elnora to heat some
water. After she had done that the girl began opening packages.

The hat came first.

"Mother!" cried Elnora. "Mother, of course, you have seen this, but you
haven't seen it on me. I must try it on."

"Don't you dare put that on your head until your hair is washed and
properly combed," said Margaret.

"Oh!" cried Elnora. "Is that water to wash my hair? I thought it was to
set the colour in another dress."

"Well, you thought wrong," said Margaret simply. "Your hair is going to
be washed and brushed until it shines like copper. While it dries you
can eat your supper, and this dress will be finished. Then you can put
on your new ribbon, and your hat. You can try your shoes now, and if
they don't fit, you and Wesley can drive to town and change them. That
little round bundle on the top of the basket is your stockings."

Margaret sat down and began sewing swiftly, and a little later opened
the machine, and ran several long seams.

Elnora returned in a few minutes holding up her skirts and stepping
daintily in the new shoes.

"Don't soil them, honey, else you're sure they fit," cautioned Wesley.

"They seem just a trifle large, maybe," said Elnora dubiously, and
Wesley knelt to feel. He and Margaret thought them a fit, and then
Elnora appealed to her mother. Mrs. Comstock appeared wiping her hands
on her apron. She examined the shoes critically.

"They seem to fit," she said, "but they are away too fine to walk
country roads."

"I think so, too," said Elnora instantly. "We had better take these back
and get a cheaper pair."

"Oh, let them go for this time," said Mrs. Comstock. "They are so
pretty, I hate to part with them. You can get cheaper ones after this."

Wesley and Margaret scarcely breathed for a long time.

When Wesley went to do the feeding. Elnora set the table. When the
water was hot, Margaret pinned a big towel around Elnora's shoulders and
washed and dried the lovely hair according to the instructions she had
been given the previous night. As the hair began to dry it billowed out
in a sparkling sheen that