forgot. Oh, why did you let
her away from you?"

"How could I know?" cried Nan, almost savagely. "I never knew she went
to such places! What has she got to do with the Duffys, anyhow? Why
hasn't somebody stopped her from going, I should like to know? She's
no business to run such risks. The first thing you know she'll catch
the fever, and then--and then--"

She turned her back on Delia, and the next moment was flying upstairs
two steps at a time.

"What are you going to do, Nan?" cried the woman.

"Go after her and bring her home!" shouted the girl.

But Delia barred the way when she tried to come down again. "You can't
do that, Nan," she protested. "It would only make things worse. Just
wait, and see if she comes home to dinner."

"No; I want to go now!" persisted the girl.

"But don't you see it would only worry her?" insisted Delia.

Nan considered. "Well, I'll wait till dinner," she admitted; "but if
she isn't here by then I'll start."

She sat down by the parlor window and commenced to watch. It seemed to
her that every one in town came into sight but the one she was looking
for with such curious anxiety. Suddenly her heart gave a great leap.
She flew to the front door and flung it wide.

"She's come! She's come!" she shouted to Delia, exultantly.

"Nan, Nan!" cried Miss Blake, hearing the joyous ring in her voice and
seeing the glad light in her eyes. "What is the matter? Has anything
happened? Has--has any one come?" As she spoke her lips grew white.

"Yes! You're the matter! You've happened! You've come! I tell you
I'm glad! And don't you ever go to those Duffys again, where there's
scarlet fever, and you can die of it!"

Miss Blake sank upon the hall-chair and held her hand to her heart.

"Why, what's the matter?" gasped Nan, frightened at the sight of her
white face.

"Nothing, dear, nothing! I was startled--that was all."

"But who startled you?" persisted the girl.

"Not you. It is all over now."

"You see," Nan hastened to explain, "the milkman told Delia there was
scarlet fever at the Duffys, and we thought you had gone there, and it
scared us to death."

"But I told you to tell Delia not to worry."

"Much good telling would do! Besides, you didn't tell me not to worry.
Of course, she'd worry anyhow and so would I. But is it true? Have
the Duffys got scarlet fever?"

Miss Blake hesitated. Then she said, truthfully, "Yes, they have, Nan.
Little Mary Ell