spinal cord is rolled up for safe keeping in a soft wrapping, called
membrane. When you fell out of the swing, you struck against one of
these knobs, and bruised the membrane inside, and the nerve inflamed,
and gave you a fever in the back. Do you see?"

"A little," said Katy, not quite understanding, but too tired to
question farther. After she had rested a while, she said: "Is the fever
well now, Papa? Can I get up again and go down stairs right away?"

"Not right away, I'm afraid," said Dr. Carr, trying to speak cheerfully.

Katy didn't ask any more questions then. Another week passed, and
another. The pain was almost gone. It only came back now and then for a
few minutes. She could sleep now, and eat, and be raised in bed without
feeling giddy. But still the once active limbs hung heavy and lifeless,
and she was not able to walk, or even stand alone.

"My legs feel so queer," she said one morning, "they are just like the
Prince's legs which were turned to black marble in the Arabian Nights.
What do you suppose is the reason, Papa? Won't they feel natural soon?"

"Not soon," answered Dr. Carr. Then he said to himself: "Poor child! she
had better know the truth." So he went on, aloud, "I am afraid, my
darling, that you must make up your mind to stay in bed a long time."

"How long?" said Katy, looking frightened: "a month more?"

"I can't tell exactly how long," answered her father. "The doctors
think, as I do, that the injury to your spine is one which you will
outgrow by and by, because you are so young and strong. But it may take