roubles to plague her," said Rose, making a
funny jumble of reasons in her efforts to explain.

"How do you know that?"

"Oh, I was telling her about mine, and asked if she had any, and she
said, 'No, only I'd like to go to school, and I mean to some day."

"So she doesn't call desertion, poverty, and hard work, troubles? She's
a brave little girl, and I shall be proud to know her." And Uncle Alec
gave an approving nod, that made Rose wish she had been the one to earn
it.

"But what are these troubles of yours, child?" he asked, after a minute
of silence.

"Please don't ask me, uncle."

"Can't you tell them to me as well as to Phebe?"

Something in his tone made Rose feel that it would be better to speak
out and be done with it, so she answered, with sudden colour and averted
eyes,

"The greatest one was losing dear papa."

As she said that, Uncle Alec's arm came gently round her, and he drew
her to him, saying, in the voice so like papa's,

"That is a trouble which I cannot cure, my child; but I shall try to
make you feel it less. What else, dear?"

"I am so tired and poorly all the time, I can't do anything I want to,
and it makes me cross," sighed Rose, rubbing the aching head like a
fretful child.

"That we can cure and we will," said her uncle, with a decided nod
that made the curls bob on his head, to that Rose saw the gray ones
underneath the brown.

"Aunt Myra says I have no constitution, and never shall be strong,"
observed Rose, in a pensive tone, as if it was rather a nice thing to be
an invalid.

"Aunt Myra is a ahem! an excellent woman, but it is her hobby to believe
that everyone is tottering on the brink of the grave; and, upon my life,
I believe she is offended if people don't fall into it! We will show her
how to make constitutions and turn pale-faced little ghosts into rosy,
hearty girls. That's my business, you know," he added, more quietly, for
his sudden outburst had rather startled Rose.

"I had forgotten you were a doctor. I'm glad of it, for I do want to be
well, only I hope you won't give me much medicine, for I've taken quarts
already, and it does me no good."

As she spoke, Rose pointed to a little table just inside the window, on
which appeared a regiment of bottles.

"Ah, ha! Now we'll see what mischief these blessed women have been at."
And, making a long arm, Dr. Alec set the bottles on the wide railing
before him, examined each carefully, smiled over some, frowned o