“I hate to mention it, but the doctor fears diphtheria.  Now don’t be alarmed, for there is positively no danger, if you go this afternoon.  But I can’t risk your staying an hour longer than is necessary.  Nora will help you pack your things.  And I’m going to send you off right after lunch.”

After luncheon the doctor came again, and Mrs. Perry went off to confer with him.

“Excuse me,” said Kit Cameron, as his sister left the room, “I must stand by Lora, and I want to find out from the doctor if there is really any danger.  Perhaps my sister’s fears are exaggerated.”

It was nearly half an hour before Kit came back, and then he looked extremely serious.

“I have bad news for you,” he said; “Babette’s illness is diphtheria,—­a severe case.”

“Oh, the poor girl!” said Patty, with impulsive sympathy.

“Yes, indeed, little Babette is pretty sick.  And, too, it’s awfully hard on Lora.  But that isn’t all of it.”

“What else?” said Marie, breathless with suspense.

“I hardly know how to tell you,” and Cameron’s face was very troubled.  “But I suppose the best way is to tell you straight out.  The truth is, we are all quarantined.  We can’t go away from here.”

“Quarantined!” cried Patty, who knew that this meant several weeks’ imprisonment; “oh, no!”

“Yes,” and Kit looked at her with pained eyes; “can you ever forgive me, Miss Fairfield, for bringing you here?  But of course I could not foresee this awful climax to our pleasant party.”

“Of course you couldn’t!” cried Patty;—­“don’t think for a moment that we blame you, Mr. Cameron.  But,—­you must excuse me if I feel rather—­rather—­”

“Flabbergasted,” put in Kenneth; “it’s an awful thing, Cameron, but we must take it philosophically.  Brace up, Patty girl, don’t let this thing floor you.”

Patty gave one look into Kenneth’s eyes, and read there so much sympathy, courage, and strong helpfulness, that she was ashamed of herself.

“Forgive me for being so selfish,” she said, as the tears came into her eyes.  “Of course we must stay, if the doctor orders; I know how strict they have to be about these things.  And we will stay cheerfully, as long as we must.  It’s dreadful to impose on Mrs. Perry so, but we can’t help it, and we must simply make the best of it.  We’ll help her all we can, and I’m sure Marie and I can do a lot.”

“You’re a brick!” and Cameron gave her a look of appreciation.  “Poor Lora is heart-broken at the trouble it makes for you girls, and for Harper.  She quite loses sight of her own anxieties in worrying about you all.”

“Tell her to stop it,” said Marie; “I rather think that we can bear our part of it, considering what Cousin Lora has to suffer.  Can Cousin Dick come home?”

“I hadn’t thought of that!” exclaimed Cameron.  “Why, no; that is, if he can’t go back to his office again.  We’ll have to telephone him to stay in New York until the siege is raised.  There are many things to think of, but as I am responsible for bringing you people up here, naturally that worries me the most.  I’m not to blame for the maid’s illness or for Dick’s enforced absence from home.  But I am to blame for bringing you girls up here at all.”