too, but she does not pay any attention. When I speak to her, she does
not answer. When she hears you coming down, she runs away and hides,
but she goes right back again."

"Can your father make her eat? If he commands her?"

"I do not know. I doubt it. But we can try. Here's some hot
soup,--I'll call father."

So Lark was brought into the dining-room, and her father came down the
stairs. The doctor whispered an explanation to him in the hall.

"Lark," said her father, gently but very firmly, "you must eat, or you
will be sick, too. We need all of our time to look after Carol to-day.
Do you want to keep us away from her to attend to you?"

"No, father, of course not. I wish you would all go right straight
back to Carrie this minute and leave me alone. I'm all right. But I
can't eat until Carol is well."

Her father drew a chair to the table and said, "Sit down and eat that
soup at once, Larkie."

Lark's face quivered, but she turned away. "I can't, father. You
don't understand. I can't eat,--I really can't. Carrie's my twin,
and--oh, father, don't you see how it is?"

He stood for a moment, frowning at her thoughtfully. Then he left the
room, signing for the doctor to follow. "I'll send Prudence down," he
said. "She'll manage some way."