sadly. "I couldn't have kept her,
even if she hadn't insisted on going away."

"I suppose you've cautioned Mrs Shivers not to gossip to this girl?"
said Mr Roy in lowered tones.

"Oh, yes, indeed," answered his wife, casting a nervous glance round the
room. "She won't hear anything about _that_. And I do hope, if she's
handy with the baby, that she'll stay. It _would_ be such a comfort.
Only I wish she wasn't so small."

At this moment the door opened, and, after some hoarsely encouraging
whispers from Mrs Shivers, who remained unseen, the small form of Biddy
herself appeared. She had put on a white apron and a large cap; there
was a great deal of cap and apron and very little of Biddy, and being
nervous, she stood with her arms hanging forward in rather a helpless
way which did not impress Mrs Roy favourably. Fortunately for Biddy,
however, the baby, wakened just then by the noise of the door, began to
cry, and its mother stooped over the cradle and lifted the child in her
arms. Biddy's shyness vanished. The cry of a baby was to her as the
sound of trumpets is to a war-horse. She advanced eagerly and stood
close to her mistress.

"The baby's not at all well to-night," said Mrs Roy appealingly.
"She's covered with tiny red spots, and _so_ feverish. I'm expecting
the doctor every minute."

Biddy came still nearer, and examined the small face attentively.

"Lor'! Mum," she exclaimed triumphantly, "you've no call to mind about
that. That's only thrush, that is. Three of ourn had it, and did
beautiful. She's bound to be a bit fretful, but she won't come to no
harm, so long as you keep her warm."

The confidence with which Biddy spoke, and the manner in which she
shortly afterwards took the baby in her arms, and soothed it to sleep
with a proper rocking movement of one foot, comforted Mrs Roy
immensely. And when the doctor came he confirmed Biddy's opinion. It
_was_ thrush. After that Mrs Roy went to bed happier in her mind than
she had been for weeks. Though small, her new nurse-maid would
evidently prove a support and a treasure; the only thing to be
questioned now was--would she stay?

STORY TWO, CHAPTER 2.

TRUSLOW MANOR.

Truslow Manor, where the curate and his wife lived, and Biddy had come
to take care of the baby, had belonged in days gone by to the ancient
family of Truslow.

There were no Truslows in Wavebury now, but traces of them were still
left there, for in the church there