ather_?"

And by this time there was a hysterical sound in poor little
Sylvie's voice.

"Wait a minute," said Amy, kindly. "Here's Rod."

"OFFICE OF WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH CO.,
NEW YORK, _July_ 24_th_, 187-.

"To MRS. I. M. ARGENTER, Dorbury, Mass.

"Mr. Argenter has had a sunstroke. Insensible. Very serious.
Will telegraph again.

"PHILIP BURKMAYER, M.D."

Sylvie's eyes, so roundly innocent, so star-like in their usual
bright uplifting, were raised now with a wide terror in them, first
to Rodney, then to Amy; and "O--O!" broke in short, subdued gasps
from her lips.

Then they heard Mrs. Argenter's step up-stairs.

"What is the matter, Sylvie? What are you doing? Who is with you
down there?" she said, over the baluster, from the hall above.

"O, mother!" cried Sylvie, "they aren't gone! Something has _come_!
Go up and tell her, Amy, please!" And forgetting all about Amy as
"Miss Sherrett," and all her fear of "nice girls," she dropped down
on the lower step of the staircase after Amy had passed her upon her
errand, put her face between her hands and caught her breath with
frightened sobs.

Rodney, leaning against the newel post, looked down at her, and
said, after the manner of men,--"Don't cry. It mayn't be very bad,
after all. You'll hear again in an hour or two. Can't I do
something? I'll go to the telegraph office. I'll get somebody for
your mother. Whom shall I go for?"

"O, you are very kind. I don't know. Wait a minute. They didn't say
any place! We ought to go right to New York, and we don't know
where! O, dear!" She had lifted her head a little, just to say these
broken sentences, and then it went down again.

Rodney did not answer instantly. It occurred to him all at once
what this "not saying any place" might mean.

Just as he began,--"You couldn't go until to-morrow,"--came Mrs.
Argenter's sharp cry from her room above. Amy had walked right on
into the open, lighted apartment, Mrs. Argenter following, not
daring to ask what she came and did this strange thing for, till Amy
made her sit down in her own easy chair, and taking her hands, said
gently,--

"It is a telegram from New York. Mr. Argenter--is very ill." Then
Mrs. Argenter cried out, "That's not all! I know how people bring
news! Tell me the whole." And Sylvie sprang to her feet, hearing the
quick, excited words, and leaving Rodney Sherrett