The train for the West was to leave at 10, and after it was gone, Jane planned going uptown to buy a summer dress. Dad had told her to charge it to him. His credit was still good. As they stood waiting for the gates to open, Dan took from his pocket the envelope containing the passes. For the first time he glanced them over, then exclaimed: "Why, how curious! There are four passes! I thought there were but three. Oh, well, they are only slips of paper, and do not represent money." He replaced them and smiled at Jane. The children raced to a stand to buy a bag of popcorn and Dan seized that opportunity to take his sister's hand, and say most seriously: "Dear girl, if I never come back, try to be to our Dad all that I have so wanted to be." There was a startled expression in the girl's dark eyes. "Dan, what do you mean?" Her voice sounded frightened, terrorized. "If you never come back? Brother, why shouldn't you come back!" She clung to his arm. "Tell me, what do you mean?" But he could not reply for a time, because of a sudden attack of coughing. Then he said: "I don't know, little girl. I'm afraid I'm worse off than Dad knows. I----" "All aboard!" The gates were swung open. Frantically, Jane cried: "Dan, quick, have my trunk checked on that other pass. I'm going with you." * * * * * * * * Mr. Abbott smiled through tears as he handed his mother the telegram he received that afternoon. "I felt sure our Jane had a soul," he said. "Her mother's daughter couldn't be entirely without one." "And now that it's awakened maybe it'll start to blossoming," the old lady replied. CHAPTER VIII. ALL ABOARD There had been such a whirl at the last moment that it was not until they were on the train and had located their seats on the Pullman, that the children realized what had happened. Luckily Jane was too much occupied readjusting her own attitude of mind, and trying to think hastily what she should do before the train was really on its way, to notice the disappointment which was plainly depicted on the faces of Julie and Gerald. They gazed at each other almost in dismay when they heard that their big sister was to accompany them, but the joy in their brother's face and manner was all that was needed to reconcile the younger boy. In the confusion caused by passengers entering the car with porters carrying their luggage, Gerald managed to draw Julie aside and whisper to her: "Don't let on we didn't want Jane, not on your life! Dan wanted her, and this journey's got just one object, Dad says, and that's to help Dan get well."