her friend.

"Illness interests me, of course," Dorothy said, after a pause; "but I
won't talk of it. There are many other things, as you say, just as
vital."

"Well, at any rate," said Mrs. Staunton, "Miss Fraser can tell us how
she came to be a nurse----"

"For my part," interrupted Dr. Staunton, "I think it is a great pity
that girls like you, Miss Fraser, should take up that sort of life. Lady
girls are not suited to it; for one who is fitted for the life, there
are fifty who are not. If you could only guess how doctors hate to see
lady nurses in possession of a case. She is a fine lady through it all;
she thinks she is not, but she is. Do you suppose she will wash up the
cups and plates and spoons as they ought to be washed and kept in a sick
person's room? and do you fancy she will clean out the grate, and go
down on her knees to wash the floor? Your fine lady nurse won't. There
is a case of infection, for instance,--measles or scarlet fever,--and
the nurse comes down from London, and she is supposed to take
possession; but one of the servants of the house has to go in to clean
and dust and arrange, or the sickroom is not dusted or cleaned at all.
That is your lady nurse; and I say she is not suited to the work."

Miss Fraser turned pale while the doctor was speaking.

"You must admit," she said, when he stopped and looked at her,--"you
must admit, Dr. Staunton, that every lady nurse is not like that. If you
have an infection case in your practice, send for me. I think I can
prove to you that there are some ladies who are too truly women to think
anything menial or beneath them." She colored as she spoke, and lowered
her eyes.

The conversation drifted into other channels. After a time Dorothy got
up and went away; and Effie, yawning slightly, went up to her room to go
to bed. She slept in a little room next to the nursery. Instead of
undressing at once, as was her wont, she went and stood by the window,
threw it open, and looked out. "What would father say if he knew my
thoughts?" she said to herself. "He despises ladies who are nurses; he
thinks it wrong for any lady girl to go away from home; but I am
going--yes, I am going to London. Dorothy is my friend. She is about
the grandest, noblest creature I ever met, and I am going to follow in
her steps. Mother will consent in the end--mother will see that I cannot
throw away my life. Dear mother! I shall miss her and father awfully,
but, all the same, I sha