took a few grains of the popcorn we pressed
upon her, eating them discreetly and taking
care not to get her fingers sticky.

Frances drew her chair up nearer to the
visitor. "I thought you were going to be
married, Lena," she said teasingly. "Didn't
I hear that Nick Svendsen was rushing you
pretty hard?"

Lena looked up with her curiously innocent
smile. "He did go with me quite a while. But
his father made a fuss about it and said he
wouldn't give Nick any land if he married
me, so he's going to marry Annie Iverson. I
wouldn't like to be her; Nick's awful sullen,
and he'll take it out on her. He ain't spoke to
his father since he promised."

Frances laughed. "And how do you feel
about it?"

"I don't want to marry Nick, or any other
man," Lena murmured. "I've seen a good
deal of married life, and I don't care for it. I
want to be so I can help my mother and the
children at home, and not have to ask lief of
anybody."

"That's right," said Frances. "And Mrs.
Thomas thinks you can learn dressmaking?"

"Yes, 'm. I've always liked to sew, but I

[[184]]

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v?