"Oh, my foot hurts again. Let's get into a decent room and talk it over there. I hate draughty halls and unwarmed rooms. There's a fire in the little side parlor off the dining room. That's my own private den. I want to get there and lie down. That rabbit pie I had for lunch doesn't agree with me, I'm afraid. Do you like rabbit pie?" "No, indeed; I wouldn't eat one for anything." "Why not?" "I should fancy the pretty creatures looking at me with their soft eyes. They're the gentlest animals in the world." "The most destructive, you mean." She did not contest. Besides, she was now in great haste to leave Fairacres and regain the shelter of her own home. Strange, she reflected, how quickly she had ceased to think of this house, her birthplace, as a home; since all that went to make it such had gone elsewhere. "About that rent money. If Hallam is able to keep at work we may together earn five dollars a week. That would be twenty dollars a month. The rent is ten. We will be able to pay it, I think." "Do you imagine you will be able to live upon the remainder? Upon two and a half dollars a week, four grown persons?" "If we have no more, we shall have to do so, shan't we?" "Excuse me; but what would you eat? I saw no sign of scrimping and pinching that day I first came here--to stay." "Oh, then Cleena was determined you should say no blame of her housekeeping. She gave you all in one meal. We've often laughed over it since." "Humph! But this two and a half per week, what would it buy?" "Meal and milk. Sometimes oat meal, sometimes corn. Once and again an egg or something for father. Oh, we'd manage." "Hmm, hmm; you'd rather live on that than run in debt? You younger Kayes, who are all I seem to take account of now--Salome is gone." "We will run in no debt we cannot pay, unless we are ill and it is impossible to help. Hal and I settled that long ago. So far we have managed, and now he is working too, I feel as rich as--rich." "Exactly. Amy, if this old house were yours, what would you do with it?" The answer was prompt and decided. "Make it into a Home for Mill Girls." "Whew! What in the world! Fairacres? The proudest old mansion in the country, or in this part of it! Are you beside yourself?" "I should be with delight, if I could make that dream a reality." "I gave you credit for more sense. But, business--that donkey. How much did Mr. Metcalf intend to pay for it?" "I suppose the same as he did for Pepita. Seventy-five dollars--burro, harness, and all." "At ten dollars a month, that would take you along well into next summer. Tell Hallam that I will keep the animal and allow him eight months' rent for it. That's giving you a half month, you see. Will you?" "Yes, I'll tell him," answered she, with a catch in her voice. "Only I had hoped to take him home with me. It would have made such a delightful Christmas for us all. You don't know how much we love those pretty creatures." "Pretty! Opinions differ."