often feel
that I must. Even the children do not seem worth the agonies I undergo.
But then again I struggled on until now."

"You will have no more struggling, and if you teach me as well as Irene
I know mother will pay you something, so your people will be better off
than ever," said Rosamund in her cheerful voice. "Now cheer up. You have
nothing to fear. Try to be courageous, and when you speak to the
servants, get them to be courageous too. You have all let Irene get the
upper hand of you, and it is exceedingly bad for her. Now, I promised to
join her; but you will be with us at tea-time, won't you?"

"I will. You have put great heart into me. What a wonderful girl you
are! When I saw you on Sunday I thought how remarkable you were, and now
that you have spoken I see it more than ever."

"Perhaps you know what has happened at Sunnyside?"

"What is that, dear?"

"My own special friend, Jane Denton, is dangerously ill with diphtheria.
I do not know if she will ever be better."

"Then is there any fear?" said Miss Frost.

"You mean of your taking it?"

"Oh, no, I don't mind for myself a scrap. I am not afraid of illness,
and I had diphtheria when I was young, and people don't often have it
twice; but it is that child--that queer child."

"I cannot give it to her," said Rosamund. "If she takes it she must have
contracted the infection herself, owing to----But there, I won't say any
more. Let us hope for the best. I must go to her now, however."

CHAPTER XIII.

IN ANOTHER DRESS.

When Rosamund went out, feeling both flushed and tired, she saw Irene
waiting for her. She wore her favorite red dress, which was exceedingly
shabby and by no means becoming. Rosamund felt just like St. George when
he was about to slay the dragon. Irene at the present moment was the
dragon. That dreadful part of her which was such a nuisance to her
neighbors must be kept under by a firm hand. One person at least must
have complete control of her.

"There you are!" said Irene, dancing up to her friend. "Oh, it is nice
to see you, and how sweet you look! Do you know, I never noticed
people's looks before. I always said to myself, 'They are all exactly
alike--a pair of eyes, a nose, a mouth, a chin of sorts, eyebrows
indifferent or not, hair dark or fair.' Oh, they're all alike--at least
that is what I did think. Now I see you, there seems a difference."

"I hope I haven't got three eyes or two noses, or anything of that so