And another thing," she added,
leaning forward confidentially, "I might as well confess, Bertram, you
couldn't hire me to leave the place this summer--not while all these
things I planted are coming up!"
Bertram laughed; but for some reason he looked wonderfully happy as he
turned away.
On the fifteenth of June Kate and her husband arrived from the West. A
young brother of Mr. Hartwell's was to be graduated from Harvard, and
Kate said they had come on to represent the family, as the elder Mr. and
Mrs. Hartwell were not strong enough to undertake the journey. Kate was
looking well and happy. She greeted Billy with effusive cordiality, and
openly expressed her admiration of Hillside. She looked very keenly into
her brothers' face, and seemed well pleased with the appearance of Cyril
and Bertram, but not so much so with William's countenance.
"William does NOT look well," she declared one day when she and Billy
were alone together.
"Sick? Uncle William sick? Oh, I hope not!" cried the girl.
"I don't know whether it's 'sick' or not," returned Mrs. Hartwell. "But
it's something. He's troubled. I'm going to speak to him. He's worried
over something; and he's grown terribly thin."
"But he's always thin," reasoned Billy.
"I know, but not like this--ever. You don't notice it, perhaps, or
realize it, seeing him every day as you do.
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