tell Miss Reynolds! Nell's coming to-night.
Wired half an hour ago."

"Aunt Nell? Oh, jolly!" The slender hands clapped in joyful pantomime.
"But don't worry about Miss Reynolds. _I_ will tell Anna to make a
room ready. Now we can settle things talking. It's so much more
satisfactory than writing."

The man laughed. "Can't say no, so easily, eh, chicken?"

She joined in his laugh. "There is something in that, of course, but
it isn't very polite of you to insinuate that any one would _wish_ to
say no to me."

"I stand corrected of an error in tact. No, I can't quite see Elinor
turning you down."

That was the joy of these two; they were such boon companions, like
brother and sister together instead of father and daughter.

But now Elliott, too, remembered something. "Oh, Father! Quincy has
scarlet fever!"

"Scarlet fever? When did he come down?"

"Just to-day. They suspected it yesterday, and Stannard came over to
Phil Tracy's. To-day the doctor made sure. So Maude and Grace are
going right on from the wedding to that Western ranch where they were
invited. All their outfits are in the house here, but they will get
new ones in New York."

"Where's James?"

"Uncle James went to the hotel, and Aunt Margaret, of course, is
quarantined. Quincy isn't very sick. They've postponed all their
house-parties for two months."

"H'm. Where do they think the boy caught it?"

"Not an idea. He came home from school Thursday."

"Well, Cedarville will be minus Camerons for a while, won't it?"

"It certainly will. Both houses closed--or Uncle James's virtually so.
Do you know what Aunt Nell is coming for?"

"Not the ghost of a notion. Perhaps she is going to adopt a dozen
young Belgians and wants me to draw up the papers."

"Mercy! I hope not a whole dozen, if I am to stay at Clover Hill with
her. Half a dozen would be enough."

"Want you at Clover Hill?" said Aunt Elinor, when the first greetings
were over and she had heard the news. "Why, you dear child, of course
I do! Or rather I should, if I were to be there myself. But I'm going
to France, too."

"To France!"

"Red Cross," with an enthusiastic nod of the perfectly dressed head.
"Lou Emery and I are going over. That's what I stopped off to tell you
people. Ran down to New York to see about my papers. It's all settled.
We sail next week. Now I'm hurrying back to shut up Clover Hill. Then
for something worth while! Do you know," the fine eyes turned from
conte