"You don't HAVE to!" shouted old Mrs. Lathrop out of her second-story
window. Although she did not add "You gump!" aloud, you could feel she
was meaning just that. "You don't have to! You can just send her to the
Putney cousins. All nonsense about her not going there in the first
place. They invited her the minute they heard of Harriet's being so bad.
They're the natural ones to take her in. Abigail is her mother's own
aunt, and Ann is her own first-cousin-once-removed ... just as close as
Harriet and Frances are, and MUCH closer than you! And on a farm and
all ... just the place for her!"

"But how under the sun, Mother!" shouted Cousin Molly back, "can I GET
her to the Putneys'? You can't send a child of nine a thousand miles
without ..."

Old Mrs. Lathrop looked again as though she were saying "You gump!" and
said aloud, "Why, there's James, going to New York on business in a few
days anyhow. He can just go now, and take her along and put her on the
right train at Albany. If he wires from here, they'll meet her in
Hillsboro."

And that was just what happened. Perhaps you may have guessed by this
time that when old Mrs. Lathrop issued orders they were usually obeyed.
As to who the Bridget was who had the scarlet fever, I know no more than
you. I take it, from the name, she was the cook. Unless, indeed, old
Mrs. Lathrop made her up for the occasion, which I think she would have
been quite capable of doing, don't you?

At any rate, with no more ifs or ands, Elizabeth Ann's satchel was
packed, and Cousin James Lathrop's satchel was packed, and the two set