IV.
It was Friday evening, and Em laid five silver dollars on the kitchen table beside her mother.
"You can give that to Ben," she said wearily.
Mrs. Wickersham glanced from the money to her daughter's dusty shoes, and set, colorless face.
"Emmy, I'm afraid you've overdone," she said with a start.
"No, I haven't," answered the girl without flinching; "it's been a little hard yesterday and to-day, and I'm tired, that's all. Don't tell Ben."
"Are you too tired to go to the church sociable this evening?" pursued the mother anxiously.
"Yes, I believe I am."
"I saw Steve Elliott and 'Rene Burnham driving that way a few minutes ago. I thought they was over at the camp." Mrs. Wickersham had resumed her work and had her back toward her daughter.
"They weren't there to-day," said Em listlessly.
"Does she go with him much?"
There was a rising resentment in Mrs. Wickersham's voice. Em glanced at her anxiously.
"I don't know," she faltered.
"I don't see how she can act so!" the older woman broke out indignantly.
The girl's face turned a dull white; she opened her lips to breathe.
"I used to think she liked Benny," Mrs. Wickersham went on, speaking in a heated undertone. "I should think she'd be ashamed of herself."
Em's voice came back.
"I don't believe Ben cares, mother," she said soothingly.
"I don't care if he doesn't, she'd ought to," urged Mrs. Wickersham, with maternal logic.
There was a sound of strained, ineffectual coughing in the front room. Mrs. Wickersham left her work and hurried away. When she came back Em was sitting on the doorstep with her forehead in her hands.
"Benny's got a notion he could drive over to the store to-morrow," her mother began excitedly; "he's got something in his head. He thinks if Joe Atkinson would bring their low buggy—I'm sure I don't know what to say;" the poor woman's voice trembled with responsibility.
Em got up with a quick, decisive movement.
"Don't say anything, mother. If Ben wants to go, he's got to go. I'll run over to Atkinson's right away."
Mrs. Wickersham caught her daughter's arm.
"No, no; not to-night. He said in the morning, he must be better, don't you think so, Emmy?" she pleaded.
"Of course," said Em fiercely. Then she turned and fastened a loosened hairpin in her mother's disordered hair. Even a caress wore its little mask of duty with Em. "Of course he's better, mother," she said more gently.