being worried and up so late, and then bothering over her
business this morning, suppose you take her dinner down to her, and then
go round by Mrs. Dane's?"

"All right," answered Kittie, glad of something to work off her
feverish impatience. "You fix the basket, while I run up stairs and get
ready; it will only take me a minute."

Olive was sitting at her desk, very pale and tired, when Kittie came in.
She looked up eagerly, but in a glance, each saw that the other knew
nothing.

"I brought your dinner," said Kittie, putting down the basket,
"because--she hasn't come, and we thought you'd be so tired."

"I am, and so much obliged," answered Olive, with a grateful smile,
thinking, as she put the lunch aside, how kind it was, for Kittie was
tired too; and thinking also, that a few weeks ago they wouldn't have
done so; but that had been much her own fault, she was quite convinced
of it now.

"Mr. Dane went to the city on this morning's train," she said in a
moment, "so I have not seen him."

"I'm going there," answered Kittie. "Mrs. Dane's, I mean. If Ernestine
is there, I'll come back by here and tell you, and if I don't come
you'll know that I haven't heard anything."

They both felt that nothing would be heard, but each said good-bye
cheerfully, and Kittie hurried away.

Mrs. Dane was a dear, motherly-hearted lady who had no children of her
own, and consequently felt a warm interest in any one's else. She had
kept a watchful, loving eye on the Dering girls, especially, since
their troubles, going to see them frequently, and dropping much comfort
and encouragement in all that she said and did. When she saw Kittie
coming, she met her at the door, with a warm, cheery smile and inquired
gayly:

"Good morning, my dear; what is going to happen that you are without
your mate? and which one are you?"

Kittie laughed as she went up the neat little walk, with early violets
blooming either side, but Mrs. Dane noticed that she looked anxiously
beyond her, into the house, and that her face was pale and worried,
something unheard of, for either of the twins.

"I'm Kittie, and Kat was too busy to come," answered Kittie, as they
went in, and she wondered what she should say next.

"It looks strange to ever see you without each other," said Mrs. Dane,
detecting an uneasiness. "All well at home, dear?"

"Yes'm, pretty well, except spring fever."

"I saw Ernestine down town yesterday afternoon, and I thought she looked