ad hurried, but she wisely forebore.

Walter Mason was a frank, fine-looking young man, with whom the girls
had become acquainted through his sister Grace. Nan and he had been
thrown much together, especially during the visit that Nan had made to
Grace at the Mason home in Chicago, and a mutual liking had developed
that had grown stronger with time. The girls had often teased Nan about
Walter, but she had parried their thrusts good-naturedly, and stoutly
maintained that Walter was simply a nice boy and good company. But she
was undeniably glad to see him, though she tried to explain to herself
that it was the prospect of soon getting back to the Hall that pleased
her.

After the first greeting, Walter introduced his companion as a Mrs.
Ellis, who had agreed to come along to nurse the patient until she had
fully recovered.

Mrs. Ellis, in a quiet, capable way, took charge at once, and the girls
felt the load of responsibility that they had carried all the afternoon
lighten promptly.

"Oh, I'd nearly forgotten!" Walter exclaimed suddenly, and ran out to
the sleigh, whence he returned in a moment loaded down with food and
jellies and supplies of various kinds.

"We stopped on our way through the village," he explained, as he placed
the packages on the table, "and Mrs. Ellis picked out the things that we
ought to bring along. Here they are. And now if you girls will get your
things on, I'll hustle you over to the Hall. You must be awfully
hungry."

They had not thought of that, but now that he spoke of it they realized
that he was right. They went in and spoke cheerily to Mrs. Bragley,
promising to be over the next day to see how she was getting along, and
then, followed by her tears and blessings, they put on their wraps and
furs and with a cordial farewell to the nurse they hurried off, not,
however, until Walter had brought in and stacked up enough firewood to
last for several days.

The cold, crisp air was like a tonic, and their spirits rose as the
horse drew the cutter after him over the snowy road at a rate of speed
that promised to bring them to the Hall all too soon.

"That was a close call you girls had this afternoon," Walter remarked,
as they left the little house behind them.

"It surely was," agreed Bess, with a little shiver that was not due to
the cold. "It was lucky for us that Nan kept her head. The rest of us
were screaming, but Nan didn't make a sound. If she'd steered an inch to
the right or