"No, she is not," continued Dorothy. "She is not right in the way I should like to see her right. The fact is, she wants a change." "Poor child!" said Mrs. Staunton. "We are not rich enough to think of changes." "The sort of change she wants will not cost you any money. The fact is, I want her to become what Heaven has intended her to be, a thoroughly trained hospital nurse. There is a vacancy now for a probationer at St. Joseph's, and I can get her admitted at once. May she come? That's the main point to consider." Mrs. Staunton looked at Effie. Effie looked back at her mother. It seemed to Effie at that moment as if she would have given anything for her mother to say, "No, I cannot spare her." On the contrary, Mrs. Staunton said in a calm voice: "I leave the choice entirely to Effie herself. If she thinks she can be spared, she may go. The fact is, Effie, my love, your--your dear father spoke to me on this subject the very night he was taken ill. He seemed to wish it then; that is, if you cared for it yourself. If you are still of the same way of thinking, I for one should not think it right to make the slightest opposition." "But how are you to do without her?" asked George in some dismay. "Oh, I can manage--I am not the helpless old woman you seem to consider me, George. I really feel better and stronger every day. The more I do for you, the less of an invalid I seem to be. Effie has been quite tiresome lately, trying to manage the money, and taking all care off my hands, but I am quite capable of seeing to matters myself; and then Agnes is growing a big girl, she can go out to buy what I shall order." Effie looked very pale. She sat perfectly still for a moment. Then she stood up. "Very well, mother, I'll go," she said in a subdued voice. "When can you be ready for me, Dorothy?" she continued. "In a week's time," said Dorothy. "There are certain preliminaries to be gone through, but I will send you a paper of our rules. You must fill up a form--in short, you must do exactly what you are instructed to do on the paper. You will probably be admitted before this day week." Dorothy said a few more words, and then took her leave. Effie accompanied her out on the landing. "I think you make a mistake in letting Effie go, mother," said George, when he was alone with his mother. "Not at all, my son. The fact is, fond as I am of my dear Effie, she takes almost too much control lately of our money affairs--I shall be glad to get them into my own hands. There are very many comforts which I could give you, darling, which are simply put out of my power by Effie's determination to keep the family purse." George said nothing. He stooped to kiss his mother's cheek. He had not looked at matters from that point of view before. He allowed his mother fifty pounds a year, which was half his present income, and it suddenly occurred to him that he was making a very generous allowance, and that he should have a full share of the benefit.