"No worse, my dears; and we will hope that they may soon be decidedly
better," the mother answered, returning their greetings with affectionate
warmth and smiling sweetly upon them. "But you must let me go at once to
the sick-room, and if all is well I shall be down presently to breakfast
with grandpa and you."

That announcement was heard with the greater pleasure because her loved
face had seldom been seen at the table for some days past.

The face was bright and hopeful as she spoke, but an unwonted expression
of sadness and anxiety came over it as she turned quickly away and went
swiftly through the spacious entrance hall and up the broad stairway.

No earthly eye saw that look, but the traces of tears on her mother's
cheeks had not escaped Vi's keen observation.

"Grandpa," she said in low, tremulous tones, following him into the
library, whither he went to await the summons to breakfast, "what has
been distressing mamma so? is it that she is so anxious about Elsie and
Walter? May I not know?"

Mr. Dinsmore paused a moment before he replied. "You shall know all about
it, my dear child, before very long. Be satisfied for the present with the
assurance that your mother's distress is for another's woe. You know what
a tender, sympathetic heart she has. I cannot deny that our little ones
are seriously ill, but their case is very far from hopeless."