cotton caught the eye of Bles, and he bought the gown for a dollar and a half.
He carried it to Zora in the wood, and unrolled it before her eyes that danced with glad tears. Of course, it was long and wide; but he fetched needle and thread and scissors, too.
It was a full month after school had begun when they, together back in the swamp, shadowed by the foliage, began to fashion the wonderful garment. At the same time she laid ten dollars of her first hard-earned money in his hands.
“You can finish the first year with this money,” Bles assured her, delighted, “and then next year you must come in to board; because, you see, when you’re educated you won’t want to live in the swamp.”
“I wants to live here always.”
“But not at Elspeth’s.”
‚ÄúNo-o‚ÅÝ‚Äînot there, not there.‚Äù And a troubled questioning trembled in her eyes, but brought no answering thought in his, for he was busy with his plans.
“Then, you see, Zora, if you stay here you’ll need a new house, and you’ll want to learn how to make it beautiful.”
‚ÄúYes, a beautiful, great castle here in the swamp,‚Äù she dreamed; ‚Äúbut,‚Äù and her face fell, ‚ÄúI can‚Äôt get money enough to board in; and I don‚Äôt want to board in‚ÅÝ‚ÄîI wants to be free.‚Äù
He looked at her, curled down so earnestly at her puzzling task, and a pity for the more than motherless child swept over him. He bent over her, nervously, eagerly, and she laid down her sewing and sat silent and passive with dark, burning eyes.