side as they are outside! I keep and _keep_
thinking of them. Think of a girl named Rose being in a house like that,
and another girl with Rose for her middle name in a beautiful, great
hotel here, or Uncle Em's lovely house at home--both of them Roses. It
isn't fair!

"Do you know, I have a plan, but I'm 'most afraid to divulge it--I
wouldn't to Uncle Em for the world, _yet_! He'd laugh the roof off. He
says women have no heads for business, and as for _girls_!--But if not
heads, I suppose they might have hearts, and the hearts might ache, the
way mine does every time I think of those houses and Straps and Dinney
and Hunkie--and the girl with eyes like mine. Yes, I'll tell you. I
mean to tear down some of those houses--Dinney's, at any rate. Now, go
outdoors and laugh!

"I don't suppose you know it, but Uncle Em's keeping a lot of money for
me when I get of age. I'm seventeen now. I never asked how much money
I'll have, but it's a lot, I'm sure of that. What I've been planning out
in my mind is to use some of that money in building decent houses for
Dinney and Straps, and some of the rest you are working for. I can have
the old ones torn down. I asked uncle for a runabout, but I'll give that
up. I wish I dared ask him how much it costs to tear a house down--I
wonder if you couldn't find out for me?

"Aunt Em and I picked out the kind of automobile for me in an
advertisement--a little beauty. Last night I dreamed I had it, and the
first ride I took it turned into That Street--I couldn't help it; it
would go. It--it ran over little Hunkie. Aunt Em heard me scream, and
went in and waked me up.

"I'll give up having an automobile.

"Please try to find out who owns Dinney's house--that is the worst
block of all, isn't it? Whoever does own that place couldn't ask very
much for it. It's such a rickety thing. You see, I've set my heart on
having one nice straight human house, anyway, on that street.

"With love,

"GLORIA ROSE."

The answer to this second letter was not as long as the first letter
from the District Nurse. It bore evidence of hurry.

"_Dear Gloria_: I am getting ready to go back this afternoon--no, my
vacation isn't done, but Dinney's poor mother is. She can't wait any
longer. I shall be there to-night.

"About the houses--my dear, oh, my dear! It will surprise you to know
that those houses are very valuable. It would cost a good deal to buy
even one of them, I am afraid. Let me tell you--I'll count