, Sesemann! Have you not a child, who loves you and always
welcomes you? You don't have to come back to a lonely house and sit
down alone at your table. Your child is well taken care of, and if she
has many privations, she also has many advantages. Sesemann, you do
not need to be pitied! Just think of my lonely home!"

Mr. Sesemann had gotten up and was walking round the room, as he
always did when something occupied his thoughts. Suddenly he stood
before his friend and said: "Doctor, I have an idea. I cannot see you
sad any longer. You must get away. You shall undertake this trip and
visit Heidi in our stead."

The doctor had been surprised by this proposal, and tried to object.
But Mr. Sesemann was so full of his new project that he pulled his
friend with him into his daughter's room, not leaving him time for any
remonstrances. Clara loved the doctor, who had always tried to cheer
her up on his visits by bright and funny tales. She was sorry for the
change that had come over him and would have given much to see him
happy again. When he had shaken hands with her, both men pulled up
their chairs to Clara's bedside. Mr. Sesemann began to speak of their
journey and how sorry he was to give it up. Then he quickly began to
talk of his new plan.

Clara's eyes had filled with tears. But she knew that her father did
not like to see her cry, and besides she was sure that her papa would
only forbid her this pleasure because it was absolutely necessary to
do so.

So she bravely fought her tears, and caressing the doctor's hand,
said:

"Oh please, doctor, do go to Heidi; then you can tell me all about
her, and can describe her grandfather to me, and Peter, with his
goats,--I seem to know them all so well. Then you can take all the
things to her that I had planned to take myself. Oh, please doctor,
go, and then I'll be good and take as much cod-liver oil as ever you
want me to."

Who can tell if this promise decided the doctor? At any rate he
answered with a smile: "Then I surely must go, Clara, for you will get
fat and strong, as we both want to see you. Have you settled yet when
I must go?"

"Oh, you had better go tomorrow morning, doctor," Clara urged.

"She is right," the father assented; "the sun is shining and you must
not lose any more glorious days on the Alp."

The doctor had to laugh. "Why don't you chide me for being here still?
I shall go as quickly as I can, Sesemann."

Clara gave many messages to him for