books for the whole year, Elizabeth yielded. Wallace would have been offended if she, Elizabeth, had insisted on paying Emily’s expenses when he took a notion to do it, but he could not reasonably resent Emily earning part for herself. He was always preaching that girls should be self-reliant, and able to earn their own way in life.
Aunt Ruth could not refuse when Elizabeth had assented, but she did not approve.
“The idea of your wandering over the country alone!”
“Oh, I’ll not be alone. Ilse is going with me,” said Emily.
Aunt Ruth did not seem to consider this much of an improvement.
“We’re going to begin Thursday,” said Emily. “There is no school Friday, owing to the death of Principal, Hardy’s father, and our classes are over at three on Thursday afternoon. We are going to canvass the Western Road that evening.”
“May I ask if you intend to camp on the side of the road?”
“Oh, no. We'll spend the night with Ilse’s aunt at Wiltney. Then, on Friday, we'll cut back to the Western Road, finish it that day and spend Friday night with Mary Carswell’s people at St. Clair—then work home Saturday by the River Road.”
“It’s perfectly absurd,” said Aunt Ruth. “No Murray ever did such a thing. I’m surprised at Elizabeth. It simply isn’t decent for two young girls like you and Ilse to be wandering alone over the country for three days.”
“What do you suppose could happen to us?” asked Emily.
“A good many things might happen,” said Aunt Ruth severely.
She was right. A good many things might—and did—happen in that excursion; but Emily and Ilse set off in high spirits Thursday afternoon, two graceless school girls with an eye for the funny side of everything and a determination to have a good time. Emily especially
