it a'n't the custom to refuse any moa. Now, a'n't there any little thing
for your own room, there in your nice new house? Or something your
motha's got her heat set on? Or one of your brothas? My, if you don't
have it, some one else will! Do take it!"

The girl kept slipping toward the door. "I shouldn't know what to tell
them, when I got home. They would think I must be--out of my senses."

"I guess you mean they'd think I was. Now, listen to me a minute!" Mrs.
Lander persisted.

"You just take this money, and when you get home, you tell your mother
every word about it, and if she says, you bring it right straight back to
me. Now, can't you do that?"

"I don't know but I can," Clementina faltered. "Well, then take it!" Mrs.
Lander put the bills into her hand but she did not release her at once.
She pulled Clementina down and herself up till she could lay her other
arm on her neck. "I want you should let me kiss you. Will you?"

"Why, certainly," said Clementina, and she kissed the old woman.

"You tell your mother I'm comin' to see her before I go; and I guess,"
said Mrs. Lander in instant expression of the idea that came into her
mind, "we shall be goin' pretty soon, now."

"Yes'm," said Clementina.

She went out, and shortly after Lander came in with a sort of hopeful
apathy in his face.