e from her seat and
knelt down beside him, putting one arm around his neck and fixing her
wistful blue eyes upon his weather-beaten countenance--"you do not know
how much anxiety you cause me by being silent, when I am sure that there
is something in your mind which concerns me, and which I am not to know!
Even if it is a great misfortune--a great sorrow--I would rather know it
than imagine all sorts of dreadful things, as I do now. Whatever it is,
please tell me. It is cruel to keep me in ignorance!"

The General looked puzzled and troubled.

"You had better ask Flossy, dear," he said, pulling the ends of his long
white moustache, and looking away from the pleading face before him. "If
there's anything to tell, she could tell it better than I."

"I don't think so, uncle dear," said Enid softly. Her eyes filled with
tears. "I would rather hear evil tidings from your lips than from those
of any other person, because--because I know you love me and would not
grieve me willingly. Is Hubert worse than I know? Is he--is he dead?"

"Bless my soul, no!" cried the General. "Why, what put that idea into
your mind, child? No, no--he is going on as well as possible--upon my
word, he is!"

"What is it then, dear uncle Richard?"

"It's his nurse," said the General desperately.

"His nurse?" Enid's eyes grew large with amazement.

"She isn't a proper, respectable, trained nurse at all. She is just an
amateur--a young woman who has no business to be there at all--not much
older than yourself, Enid, my dear. That is the reason that Flossy would
not stay. We found this young person nursing him, and so we came away.
Flossy was very much shocked--very much annoyed about it, I can tell
you. I wrote to ask if she was still there, and the doctor says she is."

Enid's white cheeks had turned crimson, but more with surprise than with
anger. The General crossed one leg over the other, and carefully averted
his eyes as he went on--

"I don't mean to say anything against her. Flossy says--but you and I
have nothing to do with that--she's not a very nice girl; that is all.
These professional singers and actresses seldom are. You don't know
anything about such people, my little girl, and it is all the better for
you. But Hubert should not have friends among people of that kind. I am
very much disappointed in Hubert--very much disappointed indeed!"

"This girl is a friend of Hubert's then?"

"I suppose so. Well--yes, of course."

"Who