rah Bragley, that she was a widow, and
that she had no kith or kin in the world as far as she knew. These facts
redoubled the pity of the girls, and they mentally resolved that as long
as they were at Lakeview Hall they would do all they could to make life
more bearable for the frail and forlorn woman who had been brought into
their lives in a way so unexpected and so nearly tragic.

In a little while Bess rejoined them, panting a little from the
exertions she had made to catch up to them.

"It's all right," she announced. "I told Professor Krenner, and he told
us to do all that we could, no matter how long it took, and said that he
would explain the whole thing to Dr. Prescott. And Linda Riggs was
there, and what do you think she said? But I'll tell you about that some
other time," she said, as she saw a spasm of pain come over the injured
woman's face. "Here, let me get hold of that rope and we'll get on
faster."

She took hold with a will, and the bobsled moved along rapidly until a
little bridge that spanned the road over a small stream came into view.
The stream now was a solid mass of ice.

"There's the bridge!" ejaculated Grace. "We can't be very far from the
house now."

"And there's the blacksmith shop and a little house right beyond it,"
added Nan. "Is that your house?" she asked Mrs. Bragley, beside whom she
was walking.

"That's it, dearie," was the answer. "It ain't much of a place," she
added apologetically.

"It's a cunning little darling of a place," protested Rhoda, not quite
truthfully, but so warm-heartedly that the recording angel probably did
not lay it up against her.

"It's very nice," added Nan.

In a few minutes more they were before the tiny house, which seemed to
consist of several rooms on one floor and a single room above.
Everything about it suggested straitened means, and yet the girls
noticed that the small windows were clean and hung with fresh dimity
curtains, and that there were little flower boxes on the sills inside.

They drew the sled through the gate and up the path to the door.

"Have you the key?" Nan asked, as she took off her gloves.

"It isn't locked," Mrs. Bragley replied, with a faint smile. "There's
nothing in there that would tempt anybody to steal. Just open the door
and go right in."

Nan did as she was told. She found herself in what evidently served as a
living-room and dining-room and kitchen combined. In a little room
opening off to the right, she c