and a quarter. The steady hum of her mother's voice was interrupted
occasionally by brief replies from Ernest. At last, Chicken Little heard
a movement and roused herself joyously. But her mother began to speak
again--this time with reverent solemnity. Chicken Little forgot herself
and listened a moment.

"Umn, I guess she's praying--they must be most through. Golly, I bet
Ernest's tired!"

When the door opened a moment later there were tears on Mrs. Morton's
lashes and Ernest looked sober. He held a handsome Oxford bible in his
hand. Mrs. Morton glanced at Jane suspiciously, but passed on into the
sitting room.

Chicken Little surveyed her brother wickedly.

"Did Mother give you a new bible?"

"Yep."

"I thought you had one."

"Got two--Mother forgot, I s'pose."

"Bet you'd rather have had a new satchel--that bible must have cost a
lot."

"Yes, I would, but don't you dare let on to Mother. I wouldn't hurt her
feelings for a farm! She's awful good, but she doesn't understand how a
fellow feels about things. I'd rather be licked any day than prayed
over. I guess if I attended all the 'means of grace' she wants me to, I
wouldn't have any time left for lessons. I'm going to try all-fired hard
not to do anything to hurt Mother or make her ashamed of me, but I'm not
calculating to wear out the pews at prayer meetings--not so you'd notice
it." Ernest grinned at Chicken Little defiantly.

Jane replied soberly:

"A prayer meeting's a real treat to Mother. She hasn't had a chance to
go to one for so long she is just pining for the privilege, but I bet
she didn't feel that way when she was young! But she thinks she did, so
there's no use fussing."

Marian's admonition to Ernest was brief and to the point. She stood him
up against the wall and looked him so squarely in the eyes that she
could see her own reflection in the pupils. Ernest's six feet of
vigorous youth was good to look at. His hazel eyes gazed back at her
steadfastly. Marian smiled up at him.

"Ernest Morton, I'm downright proud to be your sister, and if you can
look me in the eye as fearlessly and unashamed when you come home, I
shall be still prouder. I want to tell you something I overheard in a
store the other day about Father. Some men were evidently discussing him
in connection with a business deal, and one remarked emphatically: 'Old
man Morton may have his weaknesses like the rest of us humans, but his
word's as good as his bond any day, and