"If only Nannie liked housekeeping," she sighed. "Couldn't we have perfectly lovely times in a little house of our own?"

"Your mother is sure to change her ideas when she grows stronger,"

replied the young woman, charitably. "Naomie has what is termed the artistic temperament. As a rule it is greatly and sadly in need of discipline."

Nora sighed and pressed a loving pair of trembling lips on Mrs. Manton's brown cheek.

"I'm so glad I found you, anyhow. And Cousin Jerry is just the very loveliest big jolly man! I'm sure I'm going to be very happy here," she finished with an impressive sigh.

"I know you are, dear. We have more kinds of things to do in this big woodland! Just wait until you go out surveying with us!" Ted promised, "then you will see some of the wonders of the great outdoors. There's Jerry's whistle now. I must run away and get him his bread and milk.

Would you believe that great, big baby has a bowl of milk and two cuts of home made bread every night? He says his mother always told her children a story when they took this extra meal, and he insists he would break up the family circle if he failed to take his nightly supply."

"Break up the family? Do they come here?"

"Oh, bless you, no. Jerry just fancies the other two brothers in Canada and the sister who is a nurse in the mountains, all eat bread and milk at nine-thirty P. M." She laughed a little, caressing ripple. Even Nora knew that this young wife cherished any filial view held up by her husband.

Ted was gone, and presently it was time to turn out the big bulb light that dangled from the rafters. Nora peered into the looking gla.s.s at her own little face to make doubly sure of herself. Then she made a complete survey of the room.

"Just to know that any noise isn't here," she apologized to herself, poking her yellow head into a nest of cobwebs and jerking back with a little gasp.

"Oh!" she panted, "Cousin Jerry wants cobwebs for his surveying instruments. I must be sure to remember where that nest is."

Over by the chimney a line of paper bags hung and these now seemed "spooky" in the shadowy light. Other hanging things in the low parts of the attic that were set away from the center, the latter which was forming the unfinished bed room, all added to the grotesque outline.

"But I've got to do it," declared little Nora, crawling at last under the fresh bed covering Cousin Ted had provided.

"I'll leave the light on for a little while just to try it," decided Nora, her yellow head buried so deeply beneath the covers that it was quite impossible to tell light from darkness.

A little click from somewhere brought her up straight in the bed, a moment later. She listened with all her alert senses but nothing else happened. With a new feeling, somewhat akin to disappointment, Nora once more settled down, first, however, she actually turned off the light, and only the slim streak from the far away hall showed a single beam that framed the chimney line.

Being brave--as brave as all this--was really a new experience to Nora, but she had promised herself to "hold out"; and then Cousin Jerry had seemed so proud of her pluck she would never disappoint him.

"Makes me feel almost as big as a boy," she encouraged herself, "and won't I have a wonderful story to write Barbara."

Now she thought of Barbara, the tom-boy girl at school: she who could climb and romp, laugh and cry, defy the prim madams who conducted the school, it was certainly conducted not "run," and the Misses Baily were types of teachers such as the most carping critic might depict, black string eye-gla.s.ses and all.

The vision flitted before the blinking eyes of Nora. She was so glad to get away from school restrictions and perhaps--well perhaps Cousin Jerry and Cousin Ted might get to love her so fondly they would not send her back.

What was that!

Over by the big chest!

Quickly Nora struck a match and lighted her candle.

A figure moved, there was no mistake about it, a person, a real live person was surely over by the spook cabinet.

Nora almost stopped breathing.

She was afraid to call out and still more afraid to remain quiet.

There it was again!

"Oh! Oh! Cousin Ted!"

She did call, but in such a thread of a voice she scarcely heard it herself.

The next moment Cap sniffed his big, warm nose up under her arm.

"Oh, Cap, I'm so glad! Stay with me. I'm frightened!" she whispered, drawing his tawny head closer.

Then it occurred to her that the big dog had not barked. She knew he could scent a stranger in any part of the house, and she was equally sure a real person had moved over by the cabinet. Who could it be?

Her first sudden fright was now giving place to reason. The intruder must be human, and perhaps whoever it was, he was giving Cap something he liked. But that would not account for his submission, for Cap was not a dog to take things from strangers.

Horrible thoughts of chloroform stifled the girl. She even fancied she did detect a strange, depressing odor. What if she should be drugged!

An attempt to move found her too frightened to put one foot over the side of that bed. Why had she waited so long? A sickening fear was coming on. Oh, suppose it should be unconsciousness?

There was a stir. Cap was knocking things about. Now he dashed over and was surely bounding up on someone.

"Down!" came the command.

It was given in the voice of Vita!

CHAPTER IV

TRANSPLANTED

Nora was too surprised now to even think coherently. That Vita should be up in her attic!

"Down, down Cap!" the housekeeper was ordering, while the dog, evidently realizing something very unusual was occurring, added his part to the confusion.

"Vita!" called Nora in a subdued voice, "Come over this way!"

"Hush! Don't wake the folks," cautioned the maid, now beside Nora's bed.

"I--just--come to--shut the window----"

"Oh, is there a window over there?"

"A little one," evaded Vita. "But why do you come up to this dirty place?"

"It isn't dirty, and I like attics." Nora's was confident now and her voice betrayed some resentment.

"You like it?" Vita sniffed so hard the candle almost choked to death.