absorbing
occupation. Don't you think it's going to be pretty?" And Marjorie held
up the plain straw hat, trimmed with blue ribbon, for her uncle's
inspection.

"I have no doubt it will be most becoming," said Mr. Carleton, smiling,
"but have you done it all yourself?"

"Of course I have. I've trimmed all my hats since I was twelve. I make
my shirt-waists, too, all but the cutting out; Mother does that. Doesn't
Elsie make her own things?"

"No, I'm afraid she doesn't; sewing isn't exactly in Elsie's line."

"Perhaps she likes other kinds of work better," said Marjorie,
cheerfully. "I suppose Aunt Julia is disappointed, though. Mother says
she would be very sorry if I didn't like to sew; she thinks every girl
should learn to make her own clothes."

"I'm afraid your aunt isn't any more fond of sewing than Elsie is," said
Mr. Carleton, with a rather peculiar smile.

Marjorie secretly wondered who made Elsie's dresses, and who attended to
the household mending, but fearing it might be impolite to ask, changed
the subject by saying:

"Undine could scarcely sew at all when she came, but Aunt Jessie has
been teaching her, and she has improved very much. Don't you think it's
tremendously interesting about Undine, Uncle Henry?"

"It is certainly a most unusual case," admitted Mr. Carleton. "I was at
first inclined to believe that Miss Undine was gifted with a vivid
imagination, and was imposing on you all, but your father and mother
believe her story."

"Oh, yes, indeed, we all believe it," cried Marjorie, eagerly. "We know
it's true, because Father wrote to the dressmaker where Undine worked
for two years, and she said everything was just as Undine had told us."

"Well, it is certainly a case for a brain specialist," said Mr.
Carleton, "but unfortunately there are no specialists of any kind in
this part of the world. I wish there were, for your aunt Jessie's sake."

Marjorie's bright face was suddenly clouded.

"You don't think Aunt Jessie ill, do you?" she asked, anxiously. "She
seems so much better than she was two weeks ago."

"I don't know that she is worse than usual, but she is a very different
creature from the strong, active girl I remember. Poor child, she has
had a terrible experience; I wish some good surgeon could see her."

"You mean--oh, Uncle Henry, you mean you think a surgeon might possibly
be able to help her!" Marjorie's hat had fallen into her lap, and she
was regarding her uncle with eager