families; and poor dear Kirkpatrick died, leaving me a widow.'

'But you have a little girl?' asked Molly.

'Yes; darling Cynthia! I wish you could see her; she is my only comfort
now. If I have time I will show you her picture when we come up to bed;
but I must go now. It does not do to keep Lady Cumnor waiting a moment,
and she asked me to be down early, to help with some of the people in
the house. Now I shall ring this bell, and when the housemaid comes,
ask her to take you into the nursery, and to tell Lady Cuxhaven's nurse
who you are. And then you'll have tea with the little ladies, and come
in with them to dessert. There! I'm sorry you've overslept yourself,
and are left here; but give me a kiss, and don't cry--you really are
rather a pretty child, though you've not got Cynthia's colouring! Oh,
Nanny, would you be so very kind as to take this young lady--(what's
your name, my dear? Gibson?),--Miss Gibson, to Mrs. Dyson, in the
nursery, and ask her to allow her to drink tea with the young ladies
there; and to send her in with them to dessert. I'll explain it all to
my lady.'

Nanny's face brightened out of its gloom when she heard the name
Gibson; and, having ascertained from Molly that she was 'the doctor's'
child, she showed more willingness to comply with Mrs Kirkpatrick's
request than was usual with her.

Molly was an obliging girl, and fond of children; so, as long as she
was in the nursery, she got on pretty well, being obedient to the
wishes of the supreme power, and even very useful to Mrs. Dyson, by
playing at bricks, and thus keeping a little one quiet while its
brothers and sisters were being arrayed in gay attire,--lace and