leave some word for
aunty."

"I have written a note," said I. "But are you well enough to travel?"

"Just let me add a line to it," said she. "I am as well as I ever was."

I gave her a pencil, and she hurriedly wrote something on the paper
which I had left on the kitchen table. Then, quickly glancing around,
she picked up a large carving-fork, and sticking it through the paper
into the soft wood of the table, she left it standing there.

"Now it won't blow away when we open the door," she whispered. "Come
on."

"You cannot go out to the barn," I said; "we will bring up the sleigh."

"Oh, no, no, no," she answered, "I must not wait here. If I once get
out of the house I shall feel safe. Of course I shall go anyway, but I
don't want any quarrelling on this Christmas morning."

"I'm with you there," said Uncle Beamish, approvingly. "Doctor, we can
take her to the barn without her touching the snow. Let her sit in
this arm-chair, and we can carry her between us. She's no weight."

In half a minute the kitchen door was softly closed behind us, and we
were carrying Miss Burroughs to the barn. My soul was in a wild
tumult. Dozens of questions were on my tongue, but I had no chance to
ask any of them.

Uncle Beamish and I returned to the porch for the valises, and then,
closing the back door, we rapidly began to make preparations for
leaving.

"I suppose," said Uncle Beamish, as we went into the stable, leaving
Miss Burroughs in the wagon-house, "that this business is all right?
You seem to know the young woman, and she is of age to act for herself."

"Whatever she wants to do," I answered, "is perfectly right.
You may trust to that. I do not understand the matter any more than
you do, but I know she is expected at the Collingwoods', and wants to
go there."

"Very good," said Uncle Beamish. "We'll git away fust and ask
explanations afterwards."

"Dr. Glover," said Miss Burroughs, as we led the horse into the
wagon-house, "don't put the bells on him. Stuff them gently under the
seat--as softly as you can. But how are we all to go away? I have
been looking at that sleigh, and it is intended only for two."

"It's rather late to think of that, miss," said Uncle Beamish, "but
there's one thing that's certain. We're both very polite to ladies,
but neither of us is willin' to be left behind on this trip. But it's
a good-sized sleigh, and we'll all pack in, well enough. You and me
can sit on the s