aunt chose to--to--to----"

"Oh, I know the way Miss Lovelace would 'choose'," said Million, with
gusto. "So you left her, Miss Beatrice! So you done a flit at last, like
I always been saying you did ought to do! You done it! Cheers! And now
what are you thinking to do? Coming to me, are you?"

I smiled into the little affectionate rosy face that I was so accustomed
to seeing under a white frilly cap with a black bow.

I said: "Yes, Million. I'm coming to you if you'll have me."

"Ow! That's the style, Miss----"

"If I come, you won't have to call me 'Miss' any more," I said firmly.
"That'll be part of it."

"Part of what?" asked Million, bewildered.

"Part of the arrangement I want to make with you," I said. And then,
looking up, I beheld curiosity written in every line of the back of that
woman at the writing-table. I said: "Million, I can't talk to you here.
Get your hat on and come out. We'll discuss this in the Park."

And in the Park, sitting side by side on two green wooden chairs, I
unfolded to Million my suddenly conceived plan.

"Now, listen," I began. "You're a rich girl--a young woman with a big
fortune of her own----"

"Oh, Miss, I don't seem to realise it one bit, yet----"

"You'll have to realise it. You'll have to begin and adapt yourself to
it all, quite soon. And the sooner you begin the sooner you'll feel at
home in it all."

"I don't feel as if I'd got a home, now," said Million, with the forlorn
look coming over her face. "I don't feel as if I should ever make
anything out of it--of this here being an heiress, I mean."

"Million, you'll have to 'make something of it'. Other people do. People
who haven't been brought up to riches. It may not 'come natural' to
them, at first. But they learn. They learn to live as if they'd always
been accustomed to beautiful clothes, and to having houses, and cars,
and all that sort of thing, galore. Million, these are the things you've
got to acquire now you're rich," I said quite threateningly. "Even your
dear old lawyer knew that this Kensington place was only '_pro tem_'.
You'll have to have an establishment, to settle where you'll live, and
what you want to do with yourself."

"I don't want to do nothing, Miss Beatrice," said little Million
helplessly.

"Don't talk nonsense. You know you told me yourself quite lately," I
reminded her, "that you had one great wish."

Million's troubled little face lifted for a moment into a smile, but she
sho