"I have been thinking about that," said Mr. Bates, and Kate
glanced at him, doubting her hearing.
He noticed her surprise and added in explanation: "Paint every so
often saves a building. It's good economy."
"Then let's economize immediately," said Kate. "And on the barn,
too. It is even more weather-beaten than the house."
"I'll see about it the next time I go to town," said Mr. Bates; so
Kate entered the house prepared for anything and wondering what it
all meant for wherever she looked everything was shining the
brightest that scrubbing and scouring could make it shine, the
best of everything was out and in use; not that it was much, but
it made a noticeable difference. Her mother greeted her
pleasantly, with a new tone of voice, while Nancy Ellen was
transformed. Kate noticed that, immediately. She always had been
a pretty girl, now she was beautiful, radiantly beautiful, with a
new shining beauty that dazzled Kate as she looked at her. No one
offered any explanation while Kate could see none. At last she
asked: "What on earth has happened? I don't understand."
"Of course you don't," laughed Nancy Ellen. "You thought you ran
the whole place and did everything yourself, so I thought I'd just
show you how things look when I run them."
"You are a top-notcher," said Kate. "Figuratively and literally,
I offer you the palm. Let the good work go on! I highly approve;
but I don't see how you found time to do all this and go to
Institute."
"I didn't go to Institute," said Nancy Ellen.
"You didn't! But you must!" cried Kate.
"Oh must I? Well, since you have decided to run your affairs as
you please, in spite of all of us, just suppose you let me run
mine the same way. Only, I rather enjoy having Father and Mother
approve of what I do."
Kate climbed the stairs with this to digest as she went; so while
she put away her clothing she thought things over, but saw no
light. She would go to Adam's to return the telescope to-morrow,
possibly he could tell her. As she hung her dresses in the closet
and returned Nancy Ellen's to their places she was still more
amazed, for there hung three pretty new wash dresses, one of a
rosy pink that would make Nancy Ellen appear very lovely.
What was the reason, Kate wondered. The Bates family never did
anything unless there was some purpose in it, what was the purpose
in this? And Nancy Ellen had not gone to Institute. She
evidently had worked constantly and hard, yet she was in much
sweeter frame of mind than usual. She must have spent almost all
she had saved from her school on new clothes. Kate could not
solve the problem, so she decided to watch and wait. She also
waited for someone to say something about her plans, but no one
said a word, so after waiting all evening Kate decided that they
would ask before they learned anything from her. She took her
place as usual, and the work went on as if she had not been away;
but she was happy, even in her bewilderment.