A long ring at the hell startled Mrs. Howard, and aroused Bess from a
troubled doze on the sofa. They ran into the hall just as Joanna, who
was on the watch, opened the door with a scream of delight.

"Louise! Louise! Where have you been? Where did you find her, Mr.
Caruth?" Bess laughed and cried at the same time, and Aunt Zelie was
almost as bad. Louise was hugged and kissed and asked the same
questions over and over again, because it was impossible to take in
anything more than the glad fact that she was found.

In the midst of it Carl rushed in, exclaiming, "We can't find a trace
of her, and Roberts says--"

"The next time you want a detective you'd better employ me," remarked
Mr. Caruth calmly.

CHAPTER XVIII.

SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS.

Louise's adventure resulted in a cold that came near being pneumonia,
and kept her housed for more than a week. As she paid so dearly for
her thoughtlessness, no one had the heart to scold her; indeed, she
received an unusual amount of petting.

Mr. Hazeltine did suggest that the next time she wished to help one of
her neighbors it might be as well to count the cost, and her meek
"Yes, Father," showed that she saw her mistake.

"I wonder what will happen next," said Carl one day, a week later,
speaking from the depths of the wardrobe, where he was rummaging.

"Nothing, I hope," remarked Bess, who sat in the window with Louise,
supervising a new mansion for the Carletons.

"Not even something nice?" asked her brother.

"Nothing really nice has happened since Aunt Zelie gave us our silver
keys," said Louise. "There is the postman; I am going to see if he has
anything for us," and putting aside her papers she ran downstairs.

She and the postman were great friends, and always had some merry
words to exchange when they met.

"I treat you vell to-day," said the cheery Dutchman; "I bring you two
letter."

"Thank you, but they aren't for me. They are for my aunt. You must
bring me one for myself."

"Dot is too bad, I vill haf one for you next time." He trotted off,
and Louise carried the letters in and laid them on the library table,
as Aunt Zelie was not at home, and then went back to her drawing. Just
before dark Mrs. Howard came in, bringing Cousin Helen with her to
spend the night. The children were delighted at this, for it meant a
merry evening if nobody came to call. The one provoking thing about
Cousin Helen was that she had so many friends.

Bess was ch