s he used to be. I think
if he could only get out in the fresh air sometimes he would be ever so
much better."

"Doesn't he ever go out?"

"No. You see, he can't walk at all, and he's too heavy to carry far.
It's awfully hard for him never to see anything but chimneys. Our
apartment is in the rear, so he can't even see the trolley cars."

"Why don't you take him for a drive sometimes?" Winifred asked
sympathetically.

Betty's eyes sparkled.

"That's just what I'm going to do," she said triumphantly. "I never
thought of it till to-day, but first the woman at the baker's spoke of
it, and then Jack said he wished he could see Central Park. The day
after to-morrow will be his birthday, and I'm going to hire a carriage
and take him for a nice drive. I'm going to pay for it out of my own
money too; it's to be my birthday present."

"That will be nice," said Winifred in a tone of satisfaction. "Does he
know about it?"

"Yes, and he's so pleased. I'm going right over to the livery stable now
to ask how much it will cost. It couldn't be more than a dollar, do you
think it could?"

Winifred, whose ideas on the subject were quite as vague as Betty's own,
and to whom a dollar appeared a rather large sum, replied that she was
sure it couldn't, and after a little more conversation Betty departed on
her errand.

With a beating heart the little girl crossed the street and entered the
office of the livery stable on the opposite corner. A man was writing at
a desk, but he looked up at her entrance, and laid down his pen.

"Well, miss, what can I do for you?" he inquired politely, as Betty
paused, uncertain in just what words to put her request. "Do you want a
cab?"

"No, thank you," said Betty, "at least not to-day, but I think I shall
want one the day after to-morrow. Would you please tell me how much it
would cost to hire a carriage to take us to Central Park?"

The man glanced at a big book which lay open on the desk before him.

"Central Park," he repeated, beginning to turn over the pages, "that
would mean an afternoon drive, of course. Our regular charge for an
afternoon drive is five dollars."

"Five dollars!" Betty gave a little gasp. "I didn't know it would be so
expensive," she said, and without another word she turned and walked
quickly out of the office.

But once outside she did not hurry. Very slowly she recrossed the
street, entered at the familiar door, and began climbing the long
flights of stairs. A