ge
everything; but it is quite necessary in the first place that you should
confide in me."

"Confide!" cried the bewildered man. "Fred is not under my authority.
He is here in my house much against my will. He is in bed, and not fit
to be awakened; and I am obliged to tell you simply, ladies," said the
unfortunate doctor, "that my house has no accommodation for a family. If
you will go back to the hotel where you left the children"--and here the
speaker gave another gasp of horror--"I'll have him roused and sent to
you. It is the only thing I can do."

"Susan can go," said the prompt Nettie; "I'll stay here until Fred is
ready, and take him to see them. It is necessary he should be prepared,
you know. Don't talk nonsense, Susan--I shall stay here, and Dr Rider,
of course, will call a cab for you."

"But Nettie, Nettie dear, it isn't proper. I can't leave you all by
yourself in a strange house," remonstrated her sister.

"Don't talk such stuff; I am perfectly well able to take care of myself;
I am not a London young lady," said the courageous Nettie. "It is
perfectly unnecessary to say another word to me--I know my duty--I shall
stay here."

With which speech she seated herself resolutely in that same easy-chair
which Fred had lolled in last night, took off her bonnet, for hats were
not in these days, and shed off from her face, with two tiny hands,
exquisite in shape if a little brown in colour, the great braids of
dark-brown silky hair which encumbered her little head. The gesture
mollified Dr Rider in the most unaccountable way in spite of himself.
The intolerable idea of leaving these two in his house became less
intolerable, he could not tell how. And the little groom outside fairly
knocked at the door in that softening moment with a message which could
be delayed no longer. The doctor put his head out to receive the call,
and looked in again perplexed and uncertain. Nettie had quite established
herself in the easy-chair. She sat there looking with her bright eyes
into the vacant air before her, in a pretty attitude of determination
and readiness, beating her little foot on the carpet. Something whimsical,
odd, and embarrassing about her position made it all the more piquant
to the troubled eyes which, in spite of all their worldly wisdom, were
still the eyes of a young man. He could not tell in the world what to
say to her. To order that creature out of his house was simply impossible;
to remain there was eq