An hour later—­Linnet knew that it was an hour later—­Marjorie found herself moving slowly towards the kitchen door.  She wanted to see her mother.  Lifting the latch she staggered in.

She was greeted with a scream from Linnet and with a terrified exclamation from her mother.

“Marjorie, what is the matter?” cried her mother catching her in her arms.

“Nothing,” said Marjorie, wondering.

“Nothing!  You are purple as a ghost!” exclaimed Linnet, “and there’s a lump on your forehead as big as an egg.”

“Is there?” asked Marjorie, in a trembling voice.

“Did you fall?  Where did you fall?” asked her mother shaking her gently.  “Can’t you speak, child?”

“I—­didn’t—­fall,” muttered Marjorie, slowly.

“Yes, you did,” said Linnet.  “You went after eggs.”

“Eggs,” repeated Marjorie in a bewildered voice.

“Linnet, help me quick to get her on to the sitting-room lounge!  Then get pillows and a comforter, and then run for your father to go for the doctor.”

“There’s nothing the matter,” persisted the child, smiling weakly.  “I can walk, mother.  Nothing hurts me.”

“Doesn’t your head ache?” asked Linnet, guiding her steps as her head rested against her mother’s breast.

“No.”

“Don’t you ache anywhere?” questioned her mother, as they led her to the lounge.

“No, ma’am.  Why should I?  I didn’t fall.”

Linnet brought the pillow and comforter, and then ran out through the back yard calling, “Father!  Father!”

Down the road Hollis heard the agonized cry, and turning hastened back to the house.

“Oh, go for the doctor quick!” cried Linnet, catching him by the arm; “something dreadful has happened to Marjorie, and she doesn’t know what it is.”

“Is there a horse in the stable?”

“Oh, no, I forgot.  And mother forgot Father has gone to town.”

“I’ll get a horse then—­somewhere on the road—­don’t be so frightened.  Dr. Peck will be here in twenty minutes after I find him.”

Linnet flew back to satisfy her mother that the doctor had been sent for, and found Marjorie reiterating to her mother’s repeated inquiries: 

“I don’t ache anywhere; I’m not hurt at all.”

“Where were you, child.”

“I wasn’t—­anywhere,” she was about to say, then smiled, for she knew she must have been somewhere.

“What happened after you said good-bye to Hollis?” questioned Linnet, falling on her knees beside her little sister, and almost taking her into her arms.

“Nothing.”

“Oh, dear, you’re crazy!” sobbed Linnet.

Marjorie smiled faintly and lifted her hand to stroke Linnet’s cheeks.

“I won’t hurt you,” she comforted tenderly.

“I know what I’ll do!” exclaimed Mrs. West suddenly and emphatically, “I can put hot water on that bump; I’ve heard that’s good.”