with a voice as sweet as a wind-harp.
"You didn't know _I_ was comin'. You turned your face away: you wouldn't
look to me!"

"I s'pose I was asleep, Katie. You didn't mean to sit down on my head,
_did_ you, darling?"

"Yes, I did meant to. But you is sick. Folks mus'n't talk."

"No," replied Dotty, smiling, "when folks are sick they mustn't talk."

"Well," said Katie, putting her finger on her lip, "_they is_!"

"O, Katie!" cried Dotty, a new idea seizing her, "where's mother? Did
she come with you?"

Katie shook her head.

"My dee mamma velly sick."

"Yes, I know; but where's _my_ mamma? Did she come with you in the
cars?"

Katie shook her head again.

"Who did come with you, then? You didn't come alone?"

"No, there was folks."

By this time Dotty had sprung out of bed, and was rushing out of the
room to learn whether her mother had come. Mrs. Parlin met her at the
door.

"My darling child," said she, hugging and kissing her just as tenderly
as if she had never been "wherrying." "You'd better lie down again, and
let me bathe your head."

Dotty sprang into bed instantly. She was glad her mother had asked her
to do something, so she might prove her desire to obey. She liked the
touch of those cool fingers on her forehead.

"O, mamma," said she, "you do make me feel better. It felt a while ago
as if they were beating drums in there."

"Is your neck stiff, dear?"

Katie thrust her little prying fingers under Dotty's chin, tickling her,
of course.

"No, auntie," said she, "'tisn't any stiff, her neck isn't."

"But it's sore, mother. Not so sore, though, as it was when Jennie Vanee
and I got caught in the thunder and lightning."

After she had said this, Dotty blushed, for the words recalled to her
mind another act of disobedience. No wonder she had thought herself
such a naughty girl, fit only to be thrown out of the window!

"What sort of a child has Dotty been since I have been gone?" asked Mrs.
Parlin of Mrs. Eastman, as they both sat by the bedside.

Mrs. Eastman stroked the sheet with her white, jewelled hand before she
replied. She was thinking how the little girl had turned the house
upside down, and, as she believed, made Johnny more mischievous than
ever; so she hesitated a moment.

"A tolerably good child."

This was all Mrs. Eastman could say; and it was as much as Mrs. Parlin
had dared hope. She knew how Johnny and Dotty encouraged each other in
rude behavior. She looked at her