afford to give.

"Well, you're awfully good, I'm sure," said Dorothy. "I never dreamed
you'd all come forward. You're certainly sports, every one of you, and
I'm obliged more than I can tell you."

"Who knows," said Grandmother Hollister, "but when you're grown up,
you'll have a large house, and it may be called 'The Kip Day Nursery'
and each of you girls here may be lady managers. They all grow from
small beginnings. And, Dorothy, you may put me down for ten dollars,"
said Mrs. Hollister.

"Oh, say, you're a thoroughbred, you are," and the girl kissed her
impulsively several times.

Now Grandmother Hollister had been saving that particular ten for a new
lace scarf. It had been sent to her on her birthday by her son John,
but she couldn't resist giving it. She could do without the scarf, and
ten dollars would buy a couple or more warm rugs for the babies to sit
on, for little ones like to sit on the floor.

The girls stayed in her room and chatted until dusk. They talked as
freely before the old lady as before one another.

That evening Ethel asked her grandmother if there wasn't some way by
which she could get away that summer and go to visit Cousin Kate.

"I'll think it over," replied Grandmother; "you certainly need the
country. You look thin and peaked."

"Yes, and Mamma will take me to Newport or Narragansett, and I hate it.
Why, it's just like New York. You meet the very same people and I never
cared for the water as I care for inland or mountains. Do think out a
way, Grandmamma. You always manage to do everything just right."

"I'll try," replied Mrs. Hollister.

CHAPTER VI

AUNT SUSAN ARRIVES

The next morning there came a letter of acceptance from Aunt Susan. She
would arrive on Friday. This was Thursday. Grandmother Hollister hummed
a little song as she went up stairs.

"It will do Mother lots of good," ejaculated Mr. Hollister. "It was kind
of you, Bella, to think of that."

Mrs. Hollister blushed. Ethel watched her as she slowly sipped her
coffee. Mrs. Hollister was a peculiar woman. She was truthful and frank
when she wished to be. Now she realized that her husband trusted and had
faith in her and that Ethel was furtively watching her, so she said:
"Well, Archie, perhaps I was a little selfish in asking Aunt Susan.
Perhaps I did it to help Ethel a bit as well as to please Mother. Aunt
Susan is wealthy. Now why shouldn't Ethel come in for some of her money
as well as that adopted bo