privately weeping. The rare sight rent her heart.

"If I am their mother" (she began her explanation hurriedly, wiping her
tears) "I can say truthfully they're as pretty a pair of girls as may be
seen on a summer day. You had your turn, Sophia; it's very noble of you
to give up so much for us now, but it can't be said that you didn't have
your turn of gaiety."

Now Blue and Red were not in need of frocks, for before they left
England their mother had stocked their boxes as though she was never to
see a draper's shop again. But then, she had been in a severely
utilitarian mood, and when she cut out the garments it had not occurred
to her that Fashion would ever come across the fields of a Canadian
farm.

Sophia rallied her on this mistake now, but resolutely abstracted
certain moneys from the family purse and purchased for the girls white
frocks. She did not omit blue and red ribbons to distinguish between the
frocks and between the wearers. Trenholme had remarked of the girls
lately that neither would know which was herself and which the other if
the badge of colour were removed, and Sophia had fallen into the way of
thinking a good deal of all he said. She was busy weighing him in the
scales of her approval and disapproval, and the scales, she hardly knew
why, continued to balance with annoying nicety.

For the making up of the frocks, she was obliged to apply for advice to
Eliza, who was the only patron of dressmakers with whom she was
intimate.

"I think, on the whole, she is satisfactory," said Eliza of one whom she