"And not have any tree for them?" Myra asked in a disappointed tone. "O, they always have a tree with candles and trimmings--the Board ladies furnish that," Frances explained. The girls lingered late that night talking over Christmas plans. The air was heavy with secrets, there were whispered conferences in corners, and somebody was always drawing Laura aside to ask advice or help. Only Elizabeth had no part in these mysterious whisperings. She had blossomed into happy friendliness with all the girls now that she came regularly to the meetings, but the old sad silence crept over her again in these December days. It was Olga who guessed her trouble and went with it to Sadie, drawing her away from a group of girls who were busy over crochet work. "Look at Elizabeth," she began. Sadie stared at her sister sitting apart from the others, listlessly gazing into the fire. "Well, what of her? What's eating her?" Sadie demanded in her most aggravating manner. Olga frowned. Sadie's slang was a trial to her. "Elizabeth says she is not coming to the Christmas tree here." "Well, she don't have to, if she don't want to," Sadie retorted, but she cast an uneasy glance at the silent figure by the fire. "She does want to, Sadie Page--you know she does." "Well, then--what's the answer?" demanded Sadie. "Would _you_ come if you couldn't give a single thing to any one?" Olga asked quietly. "Why don't she make things then--same's I do?" Sadie's tone was sullen now. "You know why. Your mother gives you a little money----" "Mighty little," Sadie interrupted. "I'm going to work when I'm sixteen. Then I'll have my own money to spend." "And Elizabeth is nearly eighteen and can't work for herself because she spends all her time working for the rest of you at home," said Olga. A startled look flashed into the sharp black eyes. Sadie had actually never before thought of that. Olga went on, "I guess you'd miss Elizabeth at home if she should go away to work, but she ought to do it as soon as she is eighteen. And if she should, you'd have to do some of the kitchen work, wouldn't you? And maybe then you wouldn't have a chance to go away and earn money for yourself." "Is she going to do that--go off to work when she's eighteen?" Sadie demanded, plainly disturbed at the suggestion. "Everybody would say she had a right to. Most girls would have gone long ago--you know it, Sadie. You'd better make things easier for her at home if you want to keep her there." "How?" Sadie's voice was despondent now. "Father gets so little pay--we're pinched all the time." "Yet _you_ have good clothes and money for your silver work----" "Well, I have to just tease it out of mother. You don't know how I have to tease." Olga could imagine. "Well," she said, "the girls all guess how it is about Elizabeth, and, if you come to the tree and she doesn't, I shan't envy you, that's all. You are smart enough to think up some way to help Elizabeth out."