"Grandpa and Edward have told me," Violet said, "and you will let me help you, my poor dear sister? help in thinking and selecting what you will want to carry with you." "Gladly, thankfully, for oh, I seem scarcely able to collect my thoughts! How can I leave mamma and all of you? and the darling little brother and sister so ill! and yet how can I stay away from Lester when he is sick and alone in a strange land, with not a friend to speak a cheering word, smooth his pillow, give his medicine, or see that he has proper food? O Vi, can I help going to him, even at the sacrifice of leaving all other near and dear ones?" "I think our mother would have done it for papa," Violet answered, kissing Elsie's cheek. Mr. Dinsmore having first seen Ben, and found him more than willing to go with the children of the master he had loved as his own soul, went to the library, looked over the papers, and had just found the information he sought, when the sound of horses' hoofs on the avenue drew his attention, and glancing from the window he saw the Roselands carriage drive up with his sister, Mrs. Conly, inside. He hastened out to assist her to alight. "Good-morning, Horace," she said. "Is my son Arthur here?" "Yes, Louise, he has spent the last hour or more in attendance upon our sick little ones. Ah, here he is to speak for himself!" as the young doctor stepped from the open doorway. "But won't you come in?" She demurred. "Is there any danger, Arthur?" "Danger of what, mother?" "You certainly understood me," she said half angrily; "danger of contagion, of course." "None for you, surely, mother, and none you could carry home unless you came in personal contact with the sick children." "I shall sit here for a moment, then," she said, stepping from the carriage and taking a chair upon the veranda. "How are they to-day?" "The sick little ones? The disease has not yet reached its crisis." "I hope they'll get safely over it: it's a good thing to have over. How soon can you be spared from here, Arthur?" "Now, mother, if I am needed elsewhere, I shall not be needed here--at least am not likely to be--for some hours." "Then I wish you'd come home directly to see what you can do for your grandfather. He doesn't seem at all well to-day." "My father ill?" Mr. Dinsmore exclaimed in a tone of alarm and concern. "It hardly amounts to that, I presume," Mrs. Conly answered coldly; "but he is not well; didn't eat a mouthful of breakfast." "Grandpa, did you find what you wanted in the morning paper?" queried Edward, joining them at this moment. "Ah, Aunt Louise, how d'ye do?" She nodded indifferently, listening with some curiosity for her brother's reply. "Yes," he said; "and I think you should leave to-night; for by so doing you will reach New York in time to take the next steamer, if you meet with no great detention on the way. Do you think you can both be ready?" "I certainly can, sir, and have no doubt Elsie will also."