'Oh, but I will do it,' answered Muriel quickly. 'Only the things I do
never please her, and perhaps _she_ would rather not.'

'Suppose you have another try to please her?' said Aunt Margaret. 'I
will be the doctor, and I shall leave you in charge, and expect you to
obey my orders exactly. What do you do when Mother has a headache?'

'She lets me bathe her forehead with _eau-de-Cologne_, and I try to keep
everything very quiet.'

'That is a good beginning,' said Aunt Margaret. 'Now, Nurse, come and
take charge of your patient. I shall look in this evening to see how the
invalid is getting on.'

When Muriel stole quietly into her governess's room, the latter frowned
a little at the sight of the child who was usually so noisy and
tomboyish, but she said nothing when Muriel rather timidly explained her
errand. The little nurse carried out the doctor's orders very carefully
and thoroughly, and after a time she was delighted to see her patient
fast asleep. All day she did her very best to do just what she thought
Aunt Margaret would have done, and in the evening Miss Fane felt so much
better that she came downstairs for a little while.

It was Muriel who fetched the cosiest armchair for Miss Fane, and who so
carefully arranged a pile of soft cushions to make her more comfortable.
The governess watched her in surprise, as she remembered the restless,
mischief-loving Muriel of lesson hours, and noticed how quietly and
gently she arranged everything now. Then the little girl stood timidly
by her side, twisting her fingers nervously together behind her back.

'I am sorry I was so tiresome yesterday, Miss Fane,' she said, very
quickly, and not looking up. 'I didn't mean to make your head ache,
really.'

Miss Fane put her arm round the child, and made room for her among the
cushions.

'Of course you didn't, dear,' she said. 'It was a hard exercise, I know,
and I was not very patient, but we will have another try to-morrow, and
perhaps it will be easier then.'

Muriel nestled closer to her.

'I did it this afternoon,' she confessed shyly. 'I--I didn't try
properly yesterday.'

'But you tried to-day? Why, what a lot you have been doing all day!
Suppose you tell me how you learnt to be such a splendid little nurse?'

Muriel was only too ready to answer this, and she told Miss Fane all
about her longing to be a proper nurse, and of Aunt Margaret's lesson,
trying all the time to talk softly and not too much.

But Mis