“Good morning,” he cried heartily.  “Elnora, you look a picture!  My, but you’re sweet!  If any of the city boys get sassy you tell your Uncle Wesley, and he’ll horsewhip them.  Here’s your Christmas present from me.”  He handed Elnora the leather lunch box, with her name carved across the strap in artistic lettering.

“Oh Uncle Wesley!” was all Elnora could say.

“Your Aunt Maggie filled it for me for a starter,” he said.  “Now, if you are ready, I’m going to drive past your way and you can ride almost to Onabasha with me, and save the new shoes that much.”

Elnora was staring at the box.  “Oh I hope it isn’t impolite to open it before you,” she said.  “I just feel as if I must see inside.”

“Don’t you stand on formality with the neighbours,” laughed Sinton.  “Look in your box if you want to!”

Elnora slipped the strap and turned back the lid.

This disclosed the knife, fork, napkin, and spoon, the milk flask, and the interior packed with dainty sandwiches wrapped in tissue paper, and the little compartments for meat, salad, and the custard cup.

“Oh mother!” cried Elnora.  “Oh mother, isn’t it fine?  What made you think of it, Uncle Wesley?  How will I ever thank you?  No one will have a finer lunch box than I. Oh I do thank you!  That’s the nicest gift I ever had.  How I love Christmas in September!”

“It’s a mighty handy thing,” assented Mrs. Comstock, taking in every detail with sharp eyes.  “I guess you are glad now you went and helped Mag and Wesley when you could, Elnora?”

“Deedy, yes,” laughed Elnora, “and I’m going again first time they have a big day if I stay from school to do it.”

“You’ll do no such thing!” said the delighted Sinton.  “Come now, if you’re going!”

“If I ride, can you spare me time to run into the swamp to my box a minute?” asked Elnora.

The light she had seen the previous night troubled her.

“Sure,” said Wesley largely.  So they drove away and left a white-faced woman watching them from the door, her heart a little sorer than usual.

“I’d give a pretty to hear what he’ll say to her!” she commented bitterly.  “Always sticking in, always doing things I can’t ever afford.  Where on earth did he get that thing and what did it cost?”

Then she entered the cabin and began the day’s work, but mingled with the brooding bitterness of her soul was the vision of a sweet young face, glad with a gladness never before seen on it, and over and over she repeated:  “I wonder what he’ll say to her!”

What he said was that she looked as fresh and sweet as a posy, and to be careful not to step in the mud or scratch her shoes when she went to the case.

Elnora found her key and opened the door.  Not where she had placed it, but conspicuously in front lay her little heap of bills, and a crude scrawl of writing beside it.  Elnora picked up the note in astonishment.