rs. Conly, inside.

He hastened out to assist her to alight.

"Good-morning, Horace," she said. "Is my son Arthur here?"

"Yes, Louise, he has spent the last hour or more in attendance upon our
sick little ones. Ah, here he is to speak for himself!" as the young
doctor stepped from the open doorway. "But won't you come in?"

She demurred. "Is there any danger, Arthur?"

"Danger of what, mother?"

"You certainly understood me," she said half angrily; "danger of
contagion, of course."

"None for you, surely, mother, and none you could carry home unless you
came in personal contact with the sick children."

"I shall sit here for a moment, then," she said, stepping from the
carriage and taking a chair upon the veranda. "How are they to-day?"

"The sick little ones? The disease has not yet reached its crisis."

"I hope they'll get safely over it: it's a good thing to have over. How
soon can you be spared from here, Arthur?"

"Now, mother, if I am needed elsewhere, I shall not be needed here--at
least am not likely to be--for some hours."

"Then I wish you'd come home directly to see what you can do for your
grandfather. He doesn't seem at all well to-day."

"My father ill?" Mr. Dinsmore exclaimed in a tone of alarm and concern.

"It hardly amounts to that, I presume," Mrs. Conly answered coldly; "but
he is not well; didn't eat a mouthful of breakfast."

"Grandpa, did you find what you wanted in the morning paper?" queried
Edward, joining them at this moment. "Ah, Aunt Louise, how d'ye do?"

She nodded indifferently, listening with some curiosity for her brother's
reply.

"Yes," he said; "and I think you should leave to-night; for by so doing
you will reach New York in time to take the next steamer, if you meet with
no great detention on the way. Do you think you can both be ready?"

"I certainly can, sir, and have no doubt Elsie will also."

"What is it? off to Europe?" asked Mrs. Conly in surprise. "What should
call you two children there at this time?"

Mr. Dinsmore briefly stated the facts, giving the news of the morning,
Elsie's wish, and Edward's offer to be her escort to Italy.

"If she were a daughter of mine, I should consider a female companion an
absolute necessity," was Mrs. Conly's comment.

"She will take her maid of course," said Mr. Dinsmore and Edward, both
speaking at once.

"Pooh! a maid! I mean a lady relative or friend. I said a companion, and
that a maid could not be."

"I sh