“Dear! dear!” sighed Aunt Em. She felt anxious again. Here was the child back just where she had left off. What good, then, all the traveling about and the getting tired and hot? A wave of fresh weariness and travelstrain seemed to sweep over the dear little woman. Close upon it like a cool breeze came the recollection that in October Gloria would go back to school. Then, at any rate, this undue, unwelcome fascination for grimy streets would terminate. It was mid-August now. The next morning Mrs. McAndrew opened the door to Gloria's room. The girl lay smiling among the pillows. “If you are to be a District Nurse, dear, it might be well for you to get up to breakfast.” “Well, I'm prepared to go to even that length! You'll hear a bird, auntie, and simultaneously you'll hear me getting up!” Gloria was as good as her word. Mrs. McAndrew met her with a smile. Gloria's face was good to see; it was grave with purpose, but the light of youth and happiness softly irradiated the gravity. But the studied simplicity of the girl's costume that morning rather surprised Mrs. McAndrew as her eyes fell upon it. Gloria laughed. “Aunt Em, you're unprepared for the grown-up appearance of the new District Nurse,” she said. The neat coils of brown hair were quite disquieting to Aunt Em. She was not ready for Gloria to be a woman; her gentle heart misgave her. “Dear child, let your hair down again--let it down!” she pleaded. “Auntie! As if--after I've been to all this work and used twenty-three hairpins! I thought you'd approve of me. I think I look just like a nurse now. Did you suppose I could be one with my hair the old way? Dear me! I must dress the part, auntie. The play begins as soon as I've eaten an egg and two rolls--now why do you suppose nurses always eat an egg and two rolls for breakfast? But I'm sure they do.” Gloria was in fine spirits. The “play” on the eve of beginning was sure to be an entertaining one, and for novelty could anything be better? She meant to go all the rounds with brisk little Miss Winship. She was prepared to sweep floors and wash faces if it should prove to be in her part of the play. “I may have to be prompted,” she thought, “but you won't catch me having stage-fright!” She had sent a note across the street by a maid to prepare the District Nurse, and that cheerful little person was waiting for her as she tripped down the McAndrews' doorsteps after her hurried meal. “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.