y, and you and Dorothy take a run; you look jaded-like.
Why, mercy on us!" continued the good woman, looking up at this moment
and gently waving her scorching-hot iron in the air to cool it off a
little, "you look flushed, Dorothy. You haven't gone and got malaria,
have you?"

"Oh, no," said Dorry, laughing in spite of her sadness. "It is not
malaria that troubles me: it's living for three whole weeks without
seeing Donald."

"Dear, dear!" exclaimed Mrs. Danby. "I don't wonder if it is, you poor
child--only one brother so, and him a twin." Dorry laughed pleasantly
again, and then, with a cheerful "good-by," walked slowly homeward.

The next morning, when she awoke, she felt so weary and sleepy that she
sent a good-morning message to her uncle and told Lydia she would not
get up till after breakfast-time. "Be sure," she said to Liddy, "to tell
Uncle that I am not really ill,--only lazy and sleepy,--and by and by
you may let Kassy bring a cup of very weak coffee."

Lydia, secretly distressed but outwardly cheerful, begged her dear young
lady to take a nice long nap. Then lighting the fire,--for the morning
was raw and chilly though it was May,--she bustled about the room till
Dorry was very wide-awake indeed. Next, Uncle George came up to bid her
good-morning, and make special inquiries, and when he went down
reassured, Kassy came in with her breakfast. By this time Dorothy had
given up all thought of sleep for the present.

"Why, Kassy!" she exclaimed in plaintive surprise, "you've brought
enough to feed a regiment. I can't eat all that bread, if I _am_ ill--"

"Oh, but I'm to make toast for you, here in your room, Miss," explained
Kassy, who evidently had something on her mind. "Lydia,--I mean Mr.
Reed, said so."

"How nice!" exclaimed Dorry, listlessly.

Kassy took her place by the open fire, and after hesitating a moment
began to toast the bread, while Dorry lay looking at her, feeling
neither ill nor well, and half inclined to cry from sheer loneliness.
This was to be the twenty-third day without Donald.

"I wonder what that important business can be," she thought; "but, most
likely, Uncle will tell me all about it before long."

[Illustration: KASSY EVIDENTLY HAD SOMETHING ON HER MIND.]

Meanwhile, Kassy continued to toast bread. A formidable pile of
browned slices already lay on the plate, and she was preparing, in
absent-minded fashion, to attack another slice, when suddenly the long
toasting-fork hun