They went to Onabasha together and purchased a simple and appropriate fall suit and hat, goods for a dainty little coloured frock, and a dress skirt and several fancy waists.  Margaret Sinton came down and the sewing began.  When everything was finished and packed, Elnora kissed her mother good-bye at the depot, and entered the train.  Mrs. Comstock went into the waiting-room and dropped into a seat to rest.  Her heart was so sore her whole left side felt tender.  She was half starved for the food she had no appetite to take.  She had worked in dogged determination until she was exhausted.  For a time she simply sat and rested.  Then she began to think.  She was glad Elnora had gone where she would be compelled to fix her mind on other matters for a few days.  She remembered the girl had said she wanted to go.

School would begin the following week.  She thought over what Elnora would have to do to accomplish her work successfully.  She would be compelled to arise at six o’clock, walk three miles through varying weather, lead the high school orchestra, and then put in the remainder of the day travelling from building to building over the city, teaching a specified length of time every week in each room.  She must have her object lessons ready, and she must do a certain amount of practising with the orchestra.  Then a cold lunch at noon, and a three-mile walk at night.

“Humph!” said Mrs. Comstock, “to get through that the girl would have to be made of cast-iron.  I wonder how I can help her best?”

She thought deeply.

“The less she sees of what she’s been having all summer, the sooner she’ll feel better about it,” she muttered.

She arose, went to the bank and inquired for the cashier.

“I want to know just how I am fixed here,” she said.

The cashier laughed.  “You haven’t been in a hurry,” he replied.  “We have been ready for you any time these twenty years, but you didn’t seem to pay much attention.  Your account is rather flourishing.  Interest, when it gets to compounding, is quite a money breeder.  Come back here to a table and I will show you your balances.”

Mrs. Comstock sank into a chair and waited while the cashier read a jumble of figures to her.  It meant that her deposits had exceeded her expenses from one to three hundred dollars a year, according to the cattle, sheep, hogs, poultry, butter, and eggs she had sold.  The aggregate of these sums had been compounding interest throughout the years.  Mrs. Comstock stared at the total with dazed and unbelieving eyes.  Through her sick heart rushed the realization, that if she merely had stood before that wicket and asked one question, she would have known that all those bitter years of skimping for Elnora and herself had been unnecessary.  She arose and went back to the depot.

“I want to send a message,” she said.  She picked up the pencil, and with rash extravagance, wrote, “Found money at bank didn’t know about.  If you want to go to college, come on first train and get ready.”  She hesitated a second and then she said to herself grimly, “Yes, I’ll pay for that, too,” and recklessly added, “With love, Mother.”  Then she sat waiting for the answer.  It came in less than an hour.  “Will teach this winter.  With dearest love, Elnora.”