essary economy. There
were fine clothes, fine presents, a fine wedding breakfast, and the
proper number of fine brides-maids, of whom Violet was one.

Even the wise and sensible Letty was not above a feeling of girlish
delight in being prettily dressed and admired as one of the gay company;
but the knowledge that she was only chosen at the last minute to supply
the place of a young lady whose illness had disarranged Miss Oswald's
plans, and a few other drawbacks, kept her from being unduly elated with
the honour and pleasure, and she was very glad when it was all over, and
so was everybody concerned. So Miss Oswald went away. Mrs Mavor and
Miss Livy came to the big house to reign in her stead, and all in it
were beginning to settle down to a quiet and happy summer again.

But trouble came first. Scarlet fever had broken out in the
neighbourhood of the bridge house, and in other parts of the town, and
first little Polly took it, and then Jessie and Ned, and Violet came
home to help her mother to nurse them. They were not very ill--that is,
the fever did not run very high, and at no time did the doctor suppose
them to be in danger, but there was much anxiety and fatigue in taking
care of them. The weather was very hot, too, and the bridge house stood
too low to catch the infrequent breeze, and though they were soon able
to be up and even to be out of doors, the children did not get strong.

In the meantime both Charlotte and Sarah Oswald had taken the disease,
and Mr Oswald himself came to the bridge house to entreat that Violet
might be permitted to come to them. Their sister Selina had gone away
after the wedding to visit in a distant city, and as she had never had
the disease, her father did not like to send for her to come home. The
children did not take to their aunt. It had been possible to get on
when they were very ill, but when they began to be better they were
peevish and fretful, and Aunt Livy could not please them, and nothing
would do but Violet must come to them again. It did not seem possible
that she could leave home, but David was to be spared as much as
possible to help with the little ones, and so she went.

But between her anxiety for the children at home, and her weariness with
the little Oswalds, she had rather a hard time of it. Frank helped her
for a while, but he was not very well, and was threatened with the old
trouble in his eyes, so that he was not a very cheerful companion,
eith