he
hadn't done any wrong at all, nor disobeyed me flatly, and most likely
put herself in the way of catching the most infectious disease from the
very look of him, and run the risk of being robbed and perhaps murdered,
and not an idea in her head that she was a very naughty child, but
quite expected me to see the reasonableness of it all!"

Nurse stopped for breath, whilst Milly's hanging head, heaving chest,
and quick sobs showed that by this time nurse's words had quite
convinced her of her wrong-doing.

Sir Edward was surprised at the interest he felt in his little niece's
trouble.

"I am afraid I cannot understand your story, nurse," he said quietly;
"but I daresay Miss Millicent will tell me herself. Come into the study,
child, with me."

He took her hand in his, and led her away, while nurse looked after him
in astonishment, and Ford, the old butler, standing by, said with great
solemnity,--

"You may well stare, nurse. Mark my words, that child will be able to
twist him round with her little finger one of these days. I see it
a-developin'. It will be a terrible come-down to the master--but there,
I will say that the women always conquer, and they begin it when they're
in short frocks."

"I don't see the remarkableness in a gentleman taking notice of his own
sister's child," returned nurse testily; "the wonder is that he should
hold her at arm's length as he does, and treat her as if she were a dog
or a piece of furniture, without any feelings, and she his own flesh and
blood, too. There's no 'coming down' to have a spark of humanity in his
breast occasionally."

And nurse sailed upstairs, the loss of her purse and umbrella having
considerably ruffled her usually even temper.

Sir Edward seated himself by the study fire, and Milly stood before him,
one little hand resting upon his knee and the other holding her tiny
handkerchief to her eyes, and vainly trying to restrain her sobs.

"Now suppose you stop crying, and tell me what has happened!" her uncle
said, feeling moved at seeing his usually self-contained little niece in
such grief.

Milly applied her handkerchief vigorously to her eyes, and looking up
with quivering lips, she said,--

"I didn't mean to be naughty, uncle. Nurse hasn't been angry with me
like she is now for _years_, and I'm _so_ unhappy!"

The pitiful tone and look touched Sir Edward's heart, and, on the
impulse of the moment, he did what he had never as yet attempted--lifted
he