Aunt Trudy Wright was a rather short, dumpy woman and inclined to be stout and short of breath. She had iron-gray hair, near-sighted dark eyes and very pretty, very plump small hands. She exclaimed over her room when she saw it, said that everything was lovely and insisted on kissing the three girls again. Sarah promptly left at this point and was discovered by her brother when he came home, lying flat on the porch rug and absorbed in a book which dealt, in detail, with the health and welfare of rabbits. "Well you look comfortable," he said good-humoredly. "Aunt Trudy come? Who went to meet her? Where are the other girls?" "Uh-huh," grunted Sarah, interested at that moment in a description of a balanced diet for her pets. Dr. Hugh laughed and went on. The house seemed strangely quiet to him, though he could hear Winnie humming in the kitchen and appetizing odors promised a dinner on time. In the upstairs hall, Rosemary tip-toed to meet him, her eyes dark with mystery. "Hello, where is everyone?" asked her brother, giving her a kiss. "What has happened to Aunt Trudy?" "She's getting ready for dinner," explained Rosemary. "She's been crying in Mother's room for almost an hour and then her trunks came and she thought she'd change her dress." "Crying in Mother's room--what for?" demanded Doctor Hugh quickly. "Oh, because memories were too much for her," quoted Rosemary solemnly. "She made Shirley and me cry, too, but Sarah went down stairs when she tried to kiss her, so she didn't hear her talk." "I'll give Sarah credit for good sense," said Doctor Hugh grimly. He strode down the hall to his mother's room, took the key from the inside and locked the door and dropped the key in his pocket. "And that's that," he announced, smiling a little at Rosemary's puzzled face. CHAPTER IV DR. HUGH TAKES COMMAND Miss Wright appeared at dinner in rustling black silk, and kissed Dr. Hugh affectionately. In her plump arms she carried three packages. "I brought each of the girls a box of French chocolates," she explained, smiling. "They're simply delicious and there is just one shop in town which imports them." Rosemary dimpled as she untied her package, Shirley shrieked with glee and even Sarah's "thank you, Aunt Trudy" had an unusual depth of warmth in it. Two-pound boxes of chocolates did not appear at dinner every day. Dr. Hugh put down his carving knife as Shirley lifted the lid from her beribboned box. "I think I'll have to take charge of these boxes," he said quietly. "Aunt Trudy is very generous to remember you so bountifully, but I can not let you make yourselves sick. I'll keep them carefully for you in the office and you may have a safe number every day I promise you." "Oh, Hugh!" Rosemary's voice was reproachful. "I won't be sick," said Shirley with cheerful confidence. Sarah did not speak, but she thrust her box under the edge of the tablecloth.