than take that stuff," wailed
Arabella.

"That's the time you don't have your choice," was the dry reply.

And indeed she did not, for besides taking the despised herb tea, she
awoke the next morning with a heavy cold that kept her away from school
for the whole of the next week.

CHAPTER XI

AN UNEXPECTED TRIP

The next Saturday proved to be warm and sunny, and Mrs. Dainty had
taken an early train for the city, intending to spend the day in
shopping.

It had been necessary that Dorothy should go with her, because there was
a new cloak to be "tried on." Mrs. Dainty had wished to have Mrs.
Grayson with her, but both had thought that Nancy would be lonely.

"If I were to spend the day in the stores, Nancy, I would take you with
me, because you always enjoy shopping," Aunt Charlotte said, "but I am
to visit a friend who is ill, and that would be very dull for you, and
if you go with Dorothy, you will think that the hours drag if you sit
waiting while her cloak is being fitted."

"Oh, but I shall not mind being at home _this_ time," Nancy said,
cheerfully; "I shall play with Flossie and Mollie all the forenoon,--"

"And the maid will serve your lunch at _my_ house at one," Dorothy said.

"And I'll ask them both to come over to the cottage to play with me this
afternoon," Nancy continued, "and before we're done playing you'll
return."

And the forenoon was quite as pleasant as she had thought it would be.
She had gone over to Mollie's, and found Flossie already there, and they
had played tag and hide-and-seek just as if it had been a summer day.
The sunlight was warm, the breeze soft and sweet, and every bit of snow
had vanished. It was like springtime, and they played without ceasing
until the hour for lunch.

"Well come over to the cottage together this afternoon," called Mollie,
as Nancy hurried away towards the stone house.

She knew that lunch was always served promptly as the hands upon the
dining-room clock pointed to the hour of one.

She was rather afraid of the burly butler, because he stood so very
erect, and never, _never_ smiled even when the jokes told at the table
were very funny. But the maid's eyes often twinkled, and Nancy hoped
that it would be the maid who would serve her.

She was surprised to find that lunching alone in the great dining-room
was not very cheerful after all, and after a hasty meal, she slipped
from her chair, refusing to taste any more of the dainties which the