help us."

"What did they say?"

"They could find nothing except perhaps a little temporary stomach
trouble, or something of that kind, which they all agreed was no just
cause for her present condition."

"But what did they say it was?"

"Why, they said it seemed like nervousness, or as if something was
troubling her. They asked if she weren't under some sort of strain."

"Well, is she? Does anything trouble her?"

"Not that I know of. Anyhow, if there is anything, none of us can find
out what it is."

Kate frowned. She threw a quick look into her brother's face.

"William," she began hesitatingly, "forgive me, but--Billy is quite
happy in--her engagement, I suppose."

The man flushed painfully, and sighed.

"I've thought of that, of course. In fact, it was the first thing I
did think of. I even began to watch her rather closely, and once
I--questioned her a little."

"What did she say?"

"She seemed so frightened and distressed that I didn't say much myself.
I couldn't. I had but just begun when her eyes filled with tears, and
she asked me in a frightened little voice if she had done anything to
displease me, anything to make me unhappy; and she seemed so anxious
and grieved and dismayed that I should even question her, that I had to
stop."

"What has she done this summer? Where has she been?"

"She hasn't been anywhere. Didn't I write you? She's kept open house for
a lot of her less fortunate friends--a sort of vacation home, you know;
and--and I must say she's given them a world of happiness, too."

"But wasn't that hard for her?"

"It didn't seem to be. She appeared to enjoy it immensely, particularly
at first. Of course she had plenty of help, and that wonderful little
Miss Hawthorn has been a host in herself. They're all gone now, anyway,
except Miss Hawthorn."

"But Billy must have had the care and the excitement."

"Perhaps--to a certain extent. Though not much, after all. You see
Bertram, too, has given up his summer to them, and has been playing the
devoted escort to the whole bunch. Indeed, for the last few weeks of it,
since Billy began to seem so ill, he and Miss Hawthorn have schemed
to take all the care from Billy, and they have done the whole thing
together."

"But what HAS Billy done to make her like this?"

"I don't know. She's done lots for me, in all sorts of ways--cataloguing
my curios, you know, and going with me to hunt up things. In fact, she
seems the happiest when she