When the things were bought, Austin ordered them hauled to the rooms already engaged, and when the man went away, the three young people looked at their few possessions in their little home-to-be with varying emotions.

Austin was hopeful. He could look away from that which was drab to the brighter side. Just to have the children together with a chance to give them. Christian training was all he could ask. He was willing to live in the plainest circ.u.mstances.

Amy looked on the homely pile of second-rate goods and made some light, frivolous remark about their beautiful home. She was ready to laugh off in such a manner all her serious thoughts. Nell said nothing. She was a girl of fourteen, with all of a girl's love of beautiful things. She wanted a pretty home, with dainty furnishings and bright colors. Ever since she had promised to be Austin's housekeeper she had been building air-castles of the house they would have, and the home she would make. But she had not counted on such a beginning as this. She was too disheartened to think or speak. She pa.s.sed by the pile of household stuff and her brother and sister, into the other room, and shut the door with a bang. She would have to have time to locate herself before she could be cheerful. Just now her heart was too full of dismay.

Austin and Amy went to work and put things in order so that they could cook supper and all lay their weary bodies down to rest. They were young, and soon their trials were forgotten in a sweet, refreshing sleep. Nell had regained her composure enough to help them the next morning, though she was yet very quiet when Austin went off to his work.

When Austin came home that evening, he found his sunny Nell of old at work in the rooms. She was improvising a curtain of some kind, and as he came in she was standing off to study the effect. She had managed to make the room look pretty. Amy acknowledged that she herself had thought the case hopeless all the time, and had made up her mind not to expect any beauty, but that Nell had transformed things. "Nell, you are a treasure. I am surprized that you could bring such order and beauty out of the chaos I left this morning," said Austin in his heartiest tones. And the words of cheer and praise brought a happy shine to the little girl's eyes, while her heart beat in happy contentment.

The three of them were soon living in peace and contentment in their own little home, making ready as fast as they could for the coming of the others. It was necessary that Austin get a better start with his wages before the family increase very much.

They talked and planned for the future. This was not to be at all permanent; just as soon as one month's wages were in hand a house should be rented, and they would furnish it as they could. As soon as they had enough together to care for the children, Lila and Doyle should be brought to them. And until the time when they could afford better, they all covenanted together to live as economically as possible. And as soon as the house was in proper condition for living, the two girls started to school.

CHAPTER 23

AUSTIN AND AMY

"How would my birds like to find a new nest?" asked Austin one morning not long after he had received his first month's pay. "We shall be only too glad to get out of this little place into a whole house," answered both the girls at once. "May we hunt one to suit ourselves?"

"You may, only remembering that we dare not go very high in rent, for the house has to be furnished also, and we have our winter clothes to buy,"

cautioned Austin. A house was found on a shady street, and was engaged at once. Before the week was out they were safely settled in their new quarters, and with a few more articles of furniture than had been possible at first. Mrs. Bailey had given them a few things to add to the homelikeness of their living-rooms, and they were quite comfortably settled, and getting along as happily as could be asked for. "I am going to quit school and get me a job," announced Amy with decision one morning before cold weather had set in. "Winter is coming and I have nothing decent to wear. I am ashamed to go out, and I am tired of the sneers of the girls at school."

"No, Amy, do not do that. I will give you money for clothes just as soon as I can. You need the schooling more than you can need clothes. Be brave and do not give up," urged Austin.

"I have made up my mind, so you need not try to turn me. I shall not go another day," she said. "Amy, it was my motive in getting our home started again, to get all of you children into school. Your clothes are as good as many of your schoolmates', and I can not give my consent to your leaving school now. So put it out of your mind." Austin said this in a paternal way particularly provoking to the spirit of the girl.

"Who was asking your consent? I am sure I had no intention of doing so. I simply announced that I was going to work, and that is what I intend to do," she answered hotly.

"Amy, you heard what I said! You can not quit school. I forbid it."

Amy's eyes blazed fire, and her slender shoulders shook with rage. "Austin Hill, you are not my father that you may order me about! Two years do not give you such authority over me. I am not going to school, and you might as well understand it!"

Austin's lips set in two straight lines that meant battle. If the children were not going to yield obedience to him, he would not be able to keep the home together. Amy ought to see this. He said no more, and left the house without a word of good-by.

Amy, angry and rebellious, did not prepare for school nor did she do her share of the morning work. Nell left the house for school all fretted and angry that Amy had shirked her part. So all three of them were thoroughly unhappy all the day long.

Austin's lips were still in their straight lines when he came home, and Amy just as defiant. He ignored her the entire evening, though he spoke pleasantly to Nell, and helped her with the work. Amy was unhappy and miserable, and the next day ungraciously enough prepared and went to school. But the battle was not done.

"I have a letter from Papa saying he will be here with the children this week. We must have everything ready for them," announced Austin a few days after his conflict with Amy. And when the day came all three of them were at the station to welcome them. Lila and Doyle were wild with delight to be again with their brother and sisters, and wound their little arms about their necks in the most affectionate manner. Henry Hill looked on with complacency, for he felt that he was bestowing quite a favor upon his children in giving them such pleasure.

The children were well pleased with their new home, seeming not to notice the bareness of it; but their father noted it all, and said to himself, "Austin has undertaken more than he can handle. I thought he would find out there is something to supporting a family." But he did not divide his summer's wages.

"Girls, I have had a rise," said Austin one evening, and sat back to enjoy the expressions of pleasure from his sisters.

"But there is another side to it. I will have to work nights. I shall have long hours and be away every night but one each week. How will that suit you?" he added.

"We shall not be afraid," said Amy and Nell together.

"But I shall not be here to take you out of evenings. It will not do for you girls to be running about alone, and I fear the time will hang heavy on your hands."

"We shall get along all right. You need not worry about us," said Amy with more cheerfulness than was really necessary.

The new arrangement had not been in force long till reports came, in one way and another, to Austin's ears. There were fragments of conversations that floated into his bedchamber as he was trying to coax sleep to his weary eyes when the children were all home, bits of information that made him fearful that Amy was taking advantage of his absence at night to follow out her own plans.

"Amy, where were you last night?" he asked one day after he was certain he had some facts.

"Minding my own affairs," was the lofty reply.

"Were you out with Herb Wilson?" he asked again.

"I was out a while in the evening, if you must know, and Herb was in the crowd," she answered insolently.

"Do you not know that he and his crowd are not the kind of people you should be with?" he asked severely.

"Are you their judge that you can so sneeringly speak of them?" she asked as the angry blood rushed to her face.

"I am not sneering at them, but I do wish to protect the good name of my sister, and I will have to forbid your going out with them again," he said decidedly.

"There you go, ordering me around like a little child. You expect me to obey you like Lila does. I will not, and I shall go out with whom and when I please," was her defiant reply.

Austin's lips again formed the straight line that meant battle. Amy felt a shudder of apprehension go through her being; but the same fighting blood was in her. She thought that he was encroaching on her rights, and she was set not to submit. He saw the danger she was in, and, besides that, the baleful influence she would have over the younger children if she so set his authority aside, and he felt that his home was again in jeopardy. So far as he was concerned, there would be no giving in.

"I am going to get me a job, and take care of myself," she flung at him as she read the decision in his eyes. "I will not be kept under in the way you want to keep me. I am almost as old as you, and able to judge who is fit company for me."

"No, Amy, you are far from able to choose your own company properly. You need some one over you all the time. You must listen to me. You will bring reproach on yourself and on us. You are not doing well in school, and I will not forbid your getting work; but if you stay at home you must be under the same rules as the rest. I can not have you running around nights in evil company. In this I shall not yield. You must obey me."

"I will not stay with you if I have to be bossed around," she said with all the spirit she could master.

"Very well. Nell can keep the house going, with Lila's help. If you can find a suitable place to stay, and wish to take the responsibility upon yourself, I shall not hinder you, but I can not have you here disobeying the rules I must make for the good of the family," he said firmly.

Amy had meant what she said, and Austin was just as far from speaking jestingly. So Amy found work that took her out of the home for a while. But her freedom was not all happiness, and she found hardships that were just as trying as Austin's att.i.tude at home.

There was a meeting in progress in a neighboring town, and there Austin had gone for a day or two. The services had been very refreshing to him, and he longed for his sisters to come under the sweet influence of the people attending. So it was with pleasure that he carried to the girls a hearty invitation to come down and spend the last two days of the a.s.sembly. They accepted, glad for the change, and for the opportunity of visiting friends there.

The preaching was convincing, and the Spirit of G.o.d was there to talk to the hearts of sinners. Amy and Nell both felt His wooing presence with them, and yielded to the importunity of the good people about them, and took on themselves vows of loyalty and love to G.o.d. They were young, but really meant to be true, and came home to Austin with the happy news.

The joy of his heart was almost unbounded. That they would not be like himself, true to G.o.d from the beginning of their service, never occurred to him. He felt that his hardest trials were over, and that their home-life would not be any more darkened by contention. It seemed so good to have Amy back with them, and to him their taking part in the family worship seemed very precious.

"Amy," said Austin one day, "where were you last night?"

"What difference does it make where I was?" she answered evasively.

"That is not an answer to my question. I want to know with whom you spent the evening, and where you were."

"I went out a while with friends, and did nothing that I need to be called to account for. You are always forgetting that I am not a child, to be dictated to. I suppose some one has been running to you with tales," and Amy's face showed all of its old-time defiance.

"Not exactly, Amy," he answered. "I heard a bit of conversation between a couple of your acquaintances that made me doubtful, and then some of the conversation between Nell and you has floated in to me. I wish to know if you disobeyed and went out again in forbidden company. Is it true, Amy?"

and the pain in his voice should have touched her heart. To him it was the keenest disappointment that she should fail, not him alone, but her vows to G.o.d.