r you to-day, Uncle Henry," announced
Marjorie, taking the handful of letters and papers from the boy. "It's a
big fat one, though. Perhaps it's from Elsie; you haven't had one letter
from Elsie since you came."

"It is from your Aunt Julia," said Mr. Carleton, and immediately
proceeded to make himself acquainted with its contents, while Jim
galloped away to the stables, and Marjorie went on with her hat
trimming.

It was, as Marjorie had said, a "fat letter," and it took Mr. Carleton
some time to read it. Indeed, he read some parts over more than once,
before he finally put it in his pocket, and prepared to light a cigar.
"Are Aunt Julia and Elsie well?" Marjorie inquired, politely. She could
not help wondering why this aunt and cousin never sent any messages to
her.

"Oh, yes, they are very well, thank you. Your aunt says it has been
rather warm for the season, and there hasn't been much going on."

Mr. Carleton relapsed into silence, and Marjorie said no more. Her
thoughts were filled by a new idea. What if a surgeon could really be
found who would be able to cure Aunt Jessie? Such a possibility seemed
almost too wonderful to be contemplated, and yet,--and yet--

The whistle of a distant train broke the stillness, and Marjorie came
down from her air castle to remark--

"There goes the East Bound; two hours late to-day."

"You seem as much interested in the hours of trains as if you were in
the habit of traveling on one at least once a week," said Mr. Carleton,
smiling. "How would you like to take a journey--to go to New York, for
instance?"

"I should love it better than anything in the world," said Marjorie
frankly.

"Well, perhaps it can be managed. What would you say to going East with
me next week, and spending the winter in New York?"

For the second time the hat Marjorie was trimming rolled unheeded into
her lap, while she sat staring at her uncle with startled, wondering
eyes. The proposal was so sudden--so undreamed of--that for the first
moment she was speechless, and when words did come at last, they were
only:

"You mean to spend the winter with you and Aunt Julia?"

"Yes, and to go to school with Elsie. I think your father and mother are
rather anxious about your education."

"I know they are," said Marjorie, eagerly. "They wanted to send me to
school at Albuquerque this autumn, but the drought spoiled the alfalfa
crop, and there was disease among the cattle, so Father didn't feel he
cou