did you hear that?" demanded Tabitha, her heart sinking within her
at Susie's words.

"Don't we know the Goodales well? She has only one girl, and that girl
has only one baby."

"Oh, I didn't mean that! Where did you hear that the baby was sick?"

"Mr. Porter told us at the station. He has just got home from Carson
City, and he saw Mrs. Goodale there. Why don't you read mamma's
letter? You hain't looked at it yet."

Tabitha had completely forgotten the second envelope, and now hurriedly
drew out the written page and scanned the blurred, uneven lines. Then
without a word of explanation, she slipped the paper back into its
envelope, and dropped it into her pocket, saying only, "Let the
children have their dinner now. Everything is ready."

But all through the meal she was unusually preoccupied, puzzling,
pondering, struggling, longing to be alone with herself, and yet held
to her post by her sense of duty. At last, however, the hungry
appetites were satisfied, the chattering children had gone back to
their play, the dishes were washed and piled away in the cupboard, and
Tabitha slipped away to the little room which she shared with Gloriana
and Janie, knowing that no one would molest her here as long as the
lame girl stood guard at the door.

Once alone, she spread the two letters out on the bed before her and
read and re-read them until she knew both word for word.

Only one course lay open to her, that was plain; but yet her heart
rebelled hotly against the circumstances which made this one course the
only right one.

"There never was such a girl for getting into scrapes,", she groaned.
"And this time I've not only got myself into one, but Gloriana as well.
It will be six weeks at the very least before Miss Davis can come home,
and there is no telling when Mrs. Goodale will be back. It is out of
the question for Mrs. McKittrick to leave her husband just when he
needs her most, even though she does offer to come. No, it's up to me,
as Susie says. And I did want to go to Catalina with Myra so much!
Here's my whole summer spoiled just because of a hasty promise.

"_Tabitha Catt_! Aren't you ashamed of yourself! You know right well
that Mrs. McKittrick never could have gone to the city if you hadn't
taken charge of her children, and the chances are that Mr. McKittrick
would have died without her. He isn't wholly out of danger even yet.
You selfish wretch! What do you think of a person who will talk