o Marian and the cats spent the morning in the garden and it was
there Miss Dorothy found them when she came in to dinner. She had an
open letter in her hand which she waved as she walked toward Marian.
"What do you think?" she said. "Patty has the whooping-cough, too,
though not very badly. Your grandmother was right when she said you
probably got it the day we all went shopping."

"Oh, poor Patty! I wish she were here with me."

"And she wishes you were there with her. She is going to have
lessons at home for a little while each day, and I think it would be
a good thing if you could have them together. In fact, it struck me
as such a good plan that I have spoken to your grandmother about it.
Your grandfather has taken up some work this winter which will keep
him very busy, and he could not give you any time. I would be glad
to, but my work grows more and more absorbing and your grandparents
will not listen to my teaching you out of school hours, so as it
seems a pity for you to lose all these weeks, I proposed that you
should go to our house to keep Patty company. You will not have to
study so very hard, for the whooping-cough must have plenty of
outdoor air, and it would not do for you to be cooped many hours
a day. What do you think of it?"

For a moment Marian looked pleased, then her face fell. "I should
miss you so," she said.

"You dear child," returned Miss Dorothy, drawing her close. "So
should I miss you, but I think I can arrange to come home every
week now. It will mean very early rising on Monday morning in
order to get here in time for school, but I can manage it, and
I shall be able to reach home by six on Friday afternoon, so
you see----"

"Oh, I do see, and I think that would be fine."

"My little Patty misses me, too, and so does Father. Aunt Barbara
is an excellent housekeeper and a good nurse when any one is ill,
but she is not much of a companion for daddy nor for Patty. Then,
too, I hate to be out of it all. I long to keep up with the college
news and the home doings, so I shall try going home at the end of
the week, for awhile, anyhow."

"And did grandma say I could go?"

"She actually did. I think she is a little afraid of taking
whooping-cough herself, for she asked me yesterday if I had
ever known of any grown person having it, and I do know of
several cases. I had it myself when I was three years old,
but your grandma cannot remember that she ever had."

"I'm glad she can't remem