bigger and bigger. I told you not to ask for money!"

"I never meant to," replied Elnora. "I thought clothes were all I needed
and I could bear them. I never knew about buying books and tuition."

"Well, I did!" said Mrs. Comstock. "I knew what you would run into! But
you are so bull-dog stubborn, and so set in your way, I thought I would
just let you try the world a little and see how you liked it!"

Elnora pushed back her chair and looked at her mother.

"Do you mean to say," she demanded, "that you knew, when you let me
go into a city classroom and reveal the fact before all of them that I
expected to have my books handed out to me; do you mean to say that you
knew I had to pay for them?"

Mrs. Comstock evaded the direct question.

"Anybody but an idiot mooning over a book or wasting time prowling
the woods would have known you had to pay. Everybody has to pay for
everything. Life is made up of pay, pay, pay! It's always and forever
pay! If you don't pay one way you do another! Of course, I knew you had
to pay. Of course, I knew you would come home blubbering! But you don't
get a penny! I haven't one cent, and can't get one! Have your way if you
are determined, but I think you will find the road somewhat 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