uite disquieting to Aunt Em. She was not ready for Gloria to be a
woman; her gentle heart misgave her.

"Dear child, let your hair down again--let it down!" she pleaded.

"Auntie! As if--after I've been to all this work and used twenty-three
hairpins! I thought you'd approve of me. I think I look just like a
nurse now. Did you suppose I could be one with my hair the old way? Dear
me! I must dress the part, auntie. The play begins as soon as I've eaten
an egg and two rolls--now why do you suppose nurses always eat an egg
and two rolls for breakfast? But I'm sure they do."

Gloria was in fine spirits. The "play" on the eve of beginning was sure
to be an entertaining one, and for novelty could anything be better?
She meant to go all the rounds with brisk little Miss Winship. She was
prepared to sweep floors and wash faces if it should prove to be in her
part of the play. "I may have to be prompted," she thought, "but you
won't catch me having stage-fright!"

She had sent a note across the street by a maid to prepare the District
Nurse, and that cheerful little person was waiting for her as she
tripped down the McAndrews' doorsteps after her hurried meal.

"Am I late? Did I keep you waiting?" she cried.

"Not more than a piece of a minute. I've been trying to scrape
acquaintance with your beautiful cat, but he is above District Nurses."

"If I had time I'd give him a good scolding. He's got to get used to
nurses if I'm one! Do you hear that, you Old Handsome? Good-by, and be
a good boy while I'm gone!" And Gloria waved her hand affectionately to
the big silver fellow on his silken cushion. She and the District Nurse
walked away together.

"I feel as if I were setting sail for a foreign land," laughed the girl,
daintily tripping along.

"My dear, you are." The voice of Gloria's companion was suddenly grave.
"I don't know as I'm doing right to let you embark--I ought to send you
back to your beautiful home."

"Send me back! No, I'm set on 'sailing.'" In sheer exuberance of spirits
Gloria's laugh bubbled out again, then as quickly stopped. "Oh, you will
think me such a silly! I ought not to laugh, ought I?"

"Yes, keep on all the way, dear; you won't feel like it, I'm afraid,
coming back. The first time I 'came back' do you want to know what I
did?"

_"Cried,"_ Gloria said softly. A new mood was upon her now, and a gentle
solemnity gave her piquant face a new attraction. Gloria's moods were
wont to follow each ot