"Nothing ever satisfies me," said Sheila, "and everything is disappointing. I looked forward to having those children, and to making them happy, more than anything I can remember; and yet when they came I passed them over very quickly to you, poor Angel. I don't know what I should do without you! You really are an angel. You never grumble at anything. I fancy sometimes that dear old Peter thinks I treat you rather badly, I am selfish. Well, Walter, what is it?" for the butler had made his appearance. "It's a young girl, M'am, who is asking if you will be good enough to allow her to sing to you. She's a tramp I take it, but looks so bad and pale that I hadn't the heart to send her away." "Where is she?" "At the front door, M'am." "I'll come," said Sheila. Arrived at the door she found the girl seated in the hall looking tired and ill, and the butler, who evidently did not like to leave her unwatched under the circumstances, mounting guard over her. "You can go, Walter," said Sheila and then turned to look at the girl. Meg was leaning her head against the wall. Her eyes were closed. Her lovely auburn hair was uncovered, for Jem's hat had come quite to an end, and had to be left regretfully in a ditch. Sheila stood looking at the girl and was struck by her beauty, and still more by the intense weariness depicted on her face. Meg's soft brown eyes gradually opened and she looked up and smiled. "If you'll be so good as to let me rest a bit I'll sing to you, Miss," she said. "But till I sat down I didn't know I was so dead beat. I'm just-played-out," then her head drooped and Sheila was only just in time to catch her before she fell. Her head was on Sheila's lap so that the latter could only call for assistance and was thankful to see Miss Gregson hurrying towards her. "Oh, Angel, I believe she's dying," she cried, "do get some brandy or something to restore her." Walter and Elsie the maid who had hurried to her help now ran off for restoratives. "Carry her up to the West room," said Sheila on their return. "It's being scrubbed out, M'am," said Elsie, "and disinfected." "Disinfected! What rubbish! Whose idea was that? I never gave orders for it to be done." "My dear, I thought it would be advisable," said Miss Gregson, thinking to herself that Sheila's ignorance of the laws of hygiene was appalling. "Well, if she cannot go there she must be taken into the blue room," said Sheila a little annoyed. Miss Gregson interposed. "Is that wise? It opens out of your own room, and you know nothing about this girl. For all you know she may be one of a gang." Sheila ignored this remark. "To the blue room, Walter," she said, adding, "she's come to my very door and I'm not going to turn her out."