and the yellow dust hanging in the air made the sunshine look thick
and hot. A few bright leaves appeared on the trees, but they were
wrinkled, and of an ugly color. Clover said she thought they had been
_boiled_ red like lobsters. Altogether, the month was a trying one,
and the coming of October made little difference: still the dust
continued, and the heat; and the wind, when it blew, had no refreshment
in it, but seemed to have passed over some great furnace which had
burned out of it all life and flavor.

In spite of this, however it was wonderful to see how Katy gained and
improved. Every day added to her powers. First she came down to
dinner, then to breakfast. She sat on the porch in the afternoons;
she poured the tea. It was like a miracle to the others, in the
beginning, to watch her going about the house; but they got used
to it surprisingly soon,--one does to pleasant things. One person,
however, never got used to it, never took it as a matter of course;
and that was Katy herself. She could not run downstairs, or out into
the garden; she could not open the kitchen door to give an order,
without a sense of gladness and exultation which was beyond words.
The wider and more active life stimulated her in every way. Her
cheeks grew round and pink, her eyes bright. Cousin Helen and papa
watched this change with indescribable pleasure; and Mrs. Worrett,
who dropped in to lunch one day, fairly screamed with surprise at
the sight of it.

"To think of it!" she cried, "why, the last time I was here you looked
as if you had took root in that chair of yours for the rest of your
days, and here you are stepping around as lively as I be. Well, well!
wonders will never cease. It does my eyes good to see you, Katherine.
I wish your poor aunt were here to-day; that I do. How pleased she'd