"And is this the small party that arrived so unexpectedly when I was
here before?" inquired Major Lovell, looking down at Milly, who still
sat in the big chair, regarding the new-comer with her large brown eyes.

"Yes," said Sir Edward, a faint smile hovering about his lips as he
remembered his horror of her advent; "she is taking charge of me this
afternoon."

Milly held out her little hand with all the grace of a duchess.

"I remember you," she said; "you were one of the gentlemen that laughed
at me."

"I don't think I could have been guilty of such rudeness, surely."

"Now, I think you may run away," Sir Edward said, "and tell nurse I will
ring when I want her."

Milly obeyed, and confided to nurse that she hoped the "new gentleman"
would not keep her away from her uncle. "For do you know, nurse, I like
Uncle Edward so much better when he is in bed. He looks so sad, and
speaks so softly. I wish I could sit with him every day."

Major Lovell was a distant cousin of Sir Edward, and there existed a
warm friendship between them. The very brightness of his tone seemed to
do the invalid good, and Milly was quite delighted to find that her
uncle's visitor not only listened with interest to the account of her
favorite games and pastimes, but insisted upon joining her in them, and
the walls of the quiet old house rang again with merry mirth and
laughter such as they had not known for years.