stood and watched her.

"I would not hurt you for the world," she said. "I am sorry, very sorry;
the fact is, I love you with all my heart, but I don't understand you."

"Yes you do, too well," replied Hester; "but there are some things I
cannot and will not talk about even to you. Now let me take you to your
room, the hour is very late."

Annie's pretty room was just on the other side of the passage. Hester
took her to it, saw that she had every comfort, and wished her
good-night. She then stood for a moment, with a look of irresolution on
her face, in the corridor.

"I don't believe nurse is in bed; I will go and speak to her," she said
to herself. "I thought the day when I welcomed Nan back from school, and
when Annie came to visit me, would be quite the happiest day of my life,
but it would never do to make my father's home uncomfortable for him."
She reached the baize door, opened it, and soon found herself in the old
nursery. She was right, nurse was not yet in bed.

"Well, now, my deary!" exclaimed the old woman, "and why are you losing
your beauty sleep in this fashion? When I was young things used to be
very different. Girls had to be in bed by ten o'clock sharp to keep away
the wrinkles, but now they're all agog to burn the candle at both ends.
It don't pay, Miss Hetty, my pet, it don't pay."

"I'm all right, nursey," replied Hester. "I'm the quietest and most
jog-trot girl in the world as a rule. Of course I'm excited to-night,
because Nan has come back."

"Bless her dear heart!" ejaculated nurse; "but I'm not to say satisfied
about her hair, Miss Hetty. I don't believe it's pointed often enough. I
found a lot of split ends when I was combing it out to-night."

"Oh, I think Nan is all right in every way," replied Hester. "No one
could be kinder to her than Mrs. Willis, and she is very happy at
school. Nurse, I've just come here for a moment to ask you to be very
careful what you say to Nan about my father. You see, the object of my
life is to make him happy, and to be a good daughter to him, and, in
short, to try to take my mother's place."

"Eh, dear, we all know that," replied nurse, "and a sweeter young
mistress there couldn't be. Why, there isn't a servant in the house who
wouldn't do anything in the world for you, Miss Hetty; and everything in
apple-pie order, and the meals served regular and beautiful, and inside
and out perfect order, and all because there's an old head on young
shoulders. T