Beneath the Limberlost Canopy

s?” demanded the angry voice of Katharine

r!” falter

s going to school business; I've fixed you well enough, and you're ready to start. But no child of mine walks the streets of Onabasha looking l

ch she saw in the little kitchen mirror. Then she untied the narrow black ribbon, wet the comb, and plastered

y you are forgetting your

nything to eat,

no food from six in the morning until six at night. It's a pretty figure you'd cut if you had yo

bye!” she said. Mrs. Comstock did not reply. She watched the girl follow the long walk to th

enough of it by night!”

he end of a hollow log she took a key that unlocked the padlock of a large weatherbeaten old box, inside of which lay several books, a butterfly apparatus, and a small cracked mirror. The walls were lined thickly with gaudy butterflies, dragonflies, and moths. She set up the mirror, and once more pulling the ribbon from her hair, she shook the bright mass over her shoulders, tossing it dry in the sunshine. Then she straightened it, bound it loosely, and replaced he

g before her, then turned and looked back. Behind her lay the land on which she had been born to drudgery and a mother who made no pretence of loving her; before her lay the city through whose schools she hoped to find means of escape and the way to reach the things

her empty-handed as she approached the big stone high school building. She entered bravely and inquired her way to the office of the superintendent. There, she learned t

oceries until she knew how many she would have in her classes; wrote an order for chemicals for the students of science; a

” said Elnora. “I have been studying all summer. I am quite sure I

, and if it is too difficult, we will find it out speedily. Your teachers will tell you the list of books you must have, and if y

essions. That it was all a mistake; this was no school, but a grand display of enormous ribbon bows; and the second, that she was sinking and had forgotten how to walk. Then, a burst from the orchestra nerved her while a bevvy of daintil

to the white-faced girl stumbling half-blindly down the aisle next to the farthest wall. So she went on to the very end facing the stage. No one moved, and she could not summon courage to cr

hich crept over her, she felt she was going to become very ill. Then, out of the mass, she saw a pair of big, brown boy eyes, three seats from her, and there was a message in them. Witho

she give to be on the trail going home! She was shaking with a nervous chill when the music ceased, and the superintendent arose, and coming down to the front of the flower-decked platform, opened a Bible and began to read. Elnor

sentence fell on her ear. “Hide

ly. “Hide me, O God, hide me,

ming, everyone had arisen, and the room was emptying rapidly. Elnora hurried a

me where the Freshmen

one surprised gl

women,” she answered, and

the first person I meet when I find it,” she said and stopped short. “Not that! Oh, I mus

pearing down side halls, some entering adjoining doors. She saw the girl overtake the brown-eyed boy a

ed another room. Elnora waited until she returned and hurried

e doors to your left,” was th

e,” begged Elnora: “Should I

a seat,” repli

ren't any seats?

lf-filled, there will be

She looked infinitely better without it. After several efforts, she at last opened

but she never before heard the voice with which she spoke. As she stood waiting, the girl of the hall p

lend her a book and to ask her if she had studied algebra. She said she had a little, but not the same book t

the professor asked that all pupils sign their work, she firmly wrote “Elnora Comstock” under her demonstration. Then she took her seat and waited with white lips and trembling limbs, as one after another professor called the names on the board, while their owners arose and explained t