r the rest of us."

The sister dropped back into her favorite attitude upon the rug and
regarded her brother curiously.

"Hal, you're as queer as can be, to-night. Seems as if there was
something the matter with you, beyond what that know-nothing doctor
said. Isn't there?"

"Don't call the poor man hard names, girlie. He was fine, and I was
impertinent enough for the whole family. Only, I reckon he was too high
up to feel anything we could say. But there _is_ something. Something I
must tell you, and I don't know how to begin. Promise that you won't get
into a tantrum, or run and disturb the little mother about it."

"Hallam Kaye! Do I ever?"

"Hmm! Sometimes. Don't you? Never mind. Sit closer, dear, and let me get
hold of your hand. Then you'll understand why I am so bitter; why this
disappointment about my lameness is so much worse than any that has gone
before. And I've been disappointed often enough, conscience knows."

Amy crept up and snuggled her dark head against Hallam's fair one,
remarking, with emphasis:--

"Now I'm all ready. I'll be as still as a mouse, and not interrupt you
once. What other dreadful trouble has come? Is it a grocery bill, or
Clafflin's for artists' stuff?"

"Something far worse than that."

"What?"

"Did you ever think we might have--might have--oh, Amy! I can't tell you
'gently,' as mother bade--all it is--well, we've got to go away from
Fairacres. _Its not ours any longer._"

"Wh-a-at?" cried the girl, springing up, or striving to do so, though
Hallam's hold upon her fingers drew her down again.

"I don't wonder you're amazed. I was, too, at first. Now I simply wonder
how we have kept the place so long."

"Why isn't it ours? Whose is it?"

"It belongs to a cousin of mother's, Archibald Wingate. Did you ever
hear of him?"

"Never. How can it?"

"I hardly understand myself, though mother's lawyer tried to explain.
It's something about indorsing notes and mortgages and things. Big boy
as I am, I know no more about business than--you do."

"Thanks, truly. But I do know. I attended to the marketing yesterday
when the wagon came. Cleena said that I did very well."

"Glad of it. You'll have a chance to exercise your talents in that
line."

"But, Hal, mother will never let anybody take away our home. How could
she? What would father do without his studio that he had built expressly
after his own plan? or we without all this?" sweeping her arm about to
indicate the cosin