I feel hardest she turns around and does something that makes me think she just must love me a little bit, after all. Any of the girls would give almost anything to graduate in hand-embroidered linen like that. Money can't buy such things. And they came just when I was thinking she didn't care what became of me. Do you suppose she can be insane?"
"Yes," said the Bird Woman. "Stark, staring mad! Wildly insane, if she does not love you and care what becomes of you."
Elnora arose and held the petticoat to her. "Will you look at it?" she cried. "Only imagine her not getting my dress ready, and then turning around and sending me such a petticoat as this! Ellen would pay a hundred dollars for it and never blink. I suppose mother has had it all my life, and I never saw it before."
"Go, take your bath and put on those things," said the Bird Woman. "Forget everything and be happy. She is not insane! She is embittered. She did not understand how things would be. When she saw, she came at once to get you a dress. This is her way of saying she is sorry she did not get the other. You notice she has not spent any money, so perhaps she is quite honest in saying she has none."
"Oh, she is honest!" said Elnora. "She wouldn't care enough to tell an untruth. She'd say just how things were, no matter what happened."
Soon Elnora was ready for her dress. She never had looked so well as when she again headed the procession
