ld seem
to be near the end.

Louie was very practical in many things, wasting little sentiment on
trifles, and Mrs. Sherwood reaped the benefit of Louie's strict bringing
up, which she had received at the hands of her aunt.

"Now, mother," she said one day, as she displayed some of the handsome
garments her aunt had provided her with, "do try and get well as quickly as
you can. I have only a month to stay, and I brought these dresses to wear,
and I cannot do that if I am to be a nurse for you. I will get everything,
and do everything for you, that you really need, but I cannot run up and
down stairs all the time on useless errands. I can't think how Dexie has a
foot left to stand on, the way she is called hither and thither. Of course,
she must have a rest, now that I am home, or she will be laid up, and that
would be a calamity for this house, I fancy. Now, you sit up, and I'll
brush your hair and fix you up so nice that you will long to get downstairs
to the rest of us, for I am going to spend the next hour with papa," and
she bustled about the room and set everything in order to her mother's
hand.

To the surprise of the family, Mrs. Sherwood made her appearance downstairs
before Louie had been in the house a week; and as she continued to improve,
Louie quietly ordered an easy carriage to be at the door at a certain hour,
and when that hour arrived she made her appearance in such becoming attire
that she had little trouble to induce her mother to step into the carriage
with her, and as these outings became quite frequent they soon had a
beneficial effect on her mother's health and spirits.

Louie's home-coming made a difference that was quite remarkable in Gussie
also. She took so much for granted that Gussie was constrained to exert
herself. It was rather amusing to watch Gussie's face when Louie would say,
as they rose from the breakfast table:

"Now, Gussie, come on. I'm not going to be a mere visitor, you know; so
I'll help you set the rooms in order. You will be no time over them, with
my help;" and not wishing it to be known that all such things were left to
Dexie, she would follow Louie, and join in the task for very shame sake.

But Dexie enjoyed Louie's visit more than anyone, for she not only kept
Gussie's hands employed, but her presence forbade the continual
fault-finding which she had hitherto freely indulged in; for Louie was a
person of some consequence, being the heiress of considerable property,