"Am I late? Did I keep you waiting?" she cried.

"Not more than a piece of a minute. I've been trying to scrape
acquaintance with your beautiful cat, but he is above District Nurses."

"If I had time I'd give him a good scolding. He's got to get used to
nurses if I'm one! Do you hear that, you Old Handsome? Good-by, and be
a good boy while I'm gone!" And Gloria waved her hand affectionately to
the big silver fellow on his silken cushion. She and the District Nurse
walked away together.

"I feel as if I were setting sail for a foreign land," laughed the girl,
daintily tripping along.

"My dear, you are." The voice of Gloria's companion was suddenly grave.
"I don't know as I'm doing right to let you embark--I ought to send you
back to your beautiful home."

"Send me back! No, I'm set on 'sailing.'" In sheer exuberance of spirits
Gloria's laugh bubbled out again, then as quickly stopped. "Oh, you will
think me such a silly! I ought not to laugh, ought I?"

"Yes, keep on all the way, dear; you won't feel like it, I'm afraid,
coming back. The first time I 'came back' do you want to know what I
did?"

_"Cried,"_ Gloria said softly. A new mood was upon her now, and a gentle
solemnity gave her piquant face a new attraction. Gloria's moods were
wont to follow each other with surprising swiftness.