h my stitching Monday night. If you'd come
home early with it I could have finished it to-night. H'm, h'm," opening
the parcel and nodding. "Mrs. Dayton got her house full? And what did
you see nice? Have prices gone down any, but I s'pose its hardly time!
And was the style out in their best? Are they wearing ruffles on skirts
or just plain? And are they real scant? Dear me! I haven't been over to
North Hope in a dog's age."

Helen didn't remember about skirts except that Mrs. Van Dorn's light
silk had a beautiful black lace flounce. And the Madonna was still plain
before her eyes.

"Well you are stupid enough," cried Jenny in disgust. "I think I'd used
my eyes to a better purpose. And you didn't even bring home any
fashion-papers!"

Mr. and Mrs. Mulford were still having a little bickering on the stoop.
Then she came in, examined the gingham and the muslin, sent the children
to bed, told Helen to take the things off the table, and said she was
tired to death, and that no one ever thought about her, or cared whether
they kept her up till midnight.

Helen was very glad to get away to bed, and live over the meal at Mrs.
Dayton's, with its ease and refinement. How could she help building
air-castles when youth is so rich in imagination, and hope is boundless!
And if one unlooked-for thing happened, might not another?

CHAPTER III

AIR CASTLES WITH FOUNDATIONS

Aunt Jane said Helen must stay home from church Sunday morning, and help
with the dinner. Joe Northrup and two cousins were coming to visit. In
the afternoon all the younger portion went to Sunday School, and the
little leisure Helen had afterward was devoted to reading aloud their
library books. And when she came down Monday morning, Aunt Jane said in
her brisk, authoritative fashion:

"Now, Helen, you fly 'round and get at the washing. See if you can't
learn something useful in vacation. A big girl like you ought to know
how to do 'most everything. I washed when I had to stand up on a stool
to reach the washboard."

Considering that for the last two months Helen had helped with the
washing before school time, and had often run every step of the way
because she was late, the request did not strike her as pertaining
strictly to vacation. She went about her work cheerily. Uncle Jason had
whispered in her ear, "Don't you worry. I guess it will all come out
right."

Then the clothes were folded down, and after clearing the dinner away,
Helen began