let ye go," said Sue; "they'd let ye ef they knew yer
Uncle Steve wasn't there, an' yer aunt was jest pinin' ter see yer."

"I'm '_most_ sure they would if they _knew_, but everybody's away. If
only Aunt Charlotte or Mrs. Dainty were here, I'd ask them."

"Can't ye write a note, an' leave it at the cottage where yer Aunt
Charlotte'll find it as soon's she gits home? Ye kin tell her I took yer
ter yer aunt what's sick, an' ef ye tell her 'bout yer Uncle Steve, she
won't worry."

Nancy hesitated.

"An' I hate ter hurry yer," Sue urged, "but I'll _hev_ ter be gittin'
back ter yer aunt, so I must go with yer, er else leave ye here, an'
tell her I couldn't coax ye ter come."

[Illustration: "I'll go if you'll promise to bring me back."]

"Oh, don't tell her _that_. If she's wanting so much to see me, I guess
I _ought_ to go," Nancy said, but her voice trembled. Even although Sue
had assured her that Uncle Steve was not living, the old fear of _any_
member of his family made her hesitate.

"I'm so glad ter see ye agin, Nancy," coaxed Sue, "an' ye'd ought ter
feel reel safe with _me_."

"I'll go," Nancy said, "if you'll _promise_ to _bring_ me _back_!"

"Why, of course I will," said Sue, and after a moment's hesitating,
Nancy ran over to the cottage, wrote a hasty note, which she left upon
the table, and then, with her heart beating fast, and her lashes still
wet with tears, she walked swiftly down the avenue with Sue.

Sue was delighted to be with Nancy again, and she had no idea that she
was doing anything which could possibly cause Nancy's friends any
uneasiness.

She had intended to call at the house, and ask permission to take Nancy
to her aunt.

Having met Nancy at the gate, she had learned that there was no one at
home, but she had urged Nancy to leave a note at the cottage telling
where she had gone, and with whom, and she felt that that made the whole
affair open and honest. Nancy's loving little heart was less light. She
thought that it must be right to go with Sue, and if her aunt was so
_very_ sick, why surely she ought not to delay going to her, but if only
dear Aunt Charlotte had been at home she could have _asked_ her; could
have just asked her.

Sue talked all the way, but Nancy said little, and when they had nearly
reached the depot she looked back, and as she looked, wondered if, even
then, she ought to run back to the cottage. Then the thought of her aunt
calling constantly for her caused her