The Carter Girls' Mysterious Neighbors

laimed Helen Carter, looking

oed the younge

l hear you," adm

ething about the odor of a common coach that has spent its life hauling commuters from home to

now it is all so hard

der on me than

bit!" f

to ride in Pullmans. I am really just as comfortable in a day coach and I think

"You get to your destination sooner, too, as the Pul

in commuters, I must say," laughed Hele

ur philosopher

sh of us not to find them interesting. Don't you remember Mrs. Doasyouwould

asyoudid, too," declared Douglas,

eyes of one courageous commuter to be. His own grey eyes were twinkling with merriment. Evidently the rattle of the despised coach had not drowned the conver

the problems that in the natural course of events would arise in a household, they were not to be brought to the master of that household. As Mrs. Carter had determined many weeks before to play the r?le of a lily of the field, announcing herself as a semi-invalid, who was to be loved and cherished and waited on but not to be worried, it meant that Douglas, a

ined as they were. But when their father's nervous breakdown came and the realization that there was no more money in the family till, and none likely to be there unless they could earn it, right manfully they put

and Lucy to go to school. That was one time when Douglas put her foot down most emphatically. The two younger girls were quite willing to follow in their sister Helen's footsteps and "quiturate," but Douglas knew that they must be held to their tasks. She bitterly regretted her own inability to continue her educ

ace as teacher in a district school not far from the little farm that had been selected as the abiding place for the Carter family during that

lady felt in her heart of hearts that all of this going to out-of-the-way country places to spend winter months was really absurd, but then it was absurd to be poor anyhow, something she had not bargained for in her

ed him that there were only five minutes more before they would reach Grantly, their destination. Going to the country was just what he wanted and he was preparing to have a glorious t

angel could have thought up as much mischief in a week as Bobby could execute in an hour, he would have met the fate of Lucifer and been hurled from Heaven. It may be, though, that if Lucifer had possessed such eyes as this little boy he would have been forgiven and might still be in his happy home. It was an impossibility to harbor wrath against Bobby if once you looked in his eyes. They were li

out their station, came with a sig

hed designed to shield the traveler from the weather, if the w

as as she collected parcels and umbrel

ide," suggested the hopeful Na

hoice of a home would be smiled upon. First, the day they moved must be good, and this day in October was surely perfect. The packing must be done without bustle and confusion, and that had been accomplished. They must have a good luncheon before leaving Richmond, and Miss Elizabeth Somerville, who had invited them to her h

t the glib real estate agent had persuaded Dr. Wright and our girls was

House one of the old landmarks of the county; the view from the front porch quite a famous one; R. F. D. at yard gate; commuting distan

d mansion erected in the middle of what was at one time a vast estate but which had gradually shrunk through ge

eer of Grantly when that aristocratic estate could boast an overseer. It was too humble an abode to have a name of its own, but our girls were determined to give it a name when they fo

ey told me if I would write to them they would hav

ed Mr. Carter. "A quart

"We can just leave the luggage here

rs. Carter. "Just leave me here alone. I d

a quarter of a mi

t to walk more than a few blo

with his wife while the four girls and Bobby

a few blocks again as long as she lives?" blurted out Luc

bet you she will find she can walk a