As yet they were but hired servants; but soon, soon
they would have a home of their own. "Nell," he had said on parting with
her, "I know you will do your part, and with Amy's help--for she will help,
we know--we shall get along very well." Nell and Amy slept that night with
a sense of coming happiness and hope that they had not felt for a long
time. Though they lacked the strength of character that was Austin's
heritage from his mother, they were home-loving as well as he. The main
question with them was, "Where?"--what place would be best for them to
begin all over again? The girls favored going back to the old home town;
but Austin doubted the wisdom of this, for the girls had associates there
who would do them no good. He craved new and better environments for them.
Besides, he had suffered so much anxiety and disappointment there that he
felt it could never be home to him. He favored a new town where there would
be no influence nor prejudice against them, where they could make a new
start entirely. At last he brought the girls to see the reasonableness of
his view; but no definite plans could be made just yet. "Please do not
stop in this part of the country, for I am so discouraged with everything
that I do not know what to do," pleaded Amy.
"I know just how you feel, Sister, and I will not settle here. There is
nothing here for us anyway. We must find a town where I can get paying work
so that I can keep the bread and butter coming," he answered.
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