The next day or two passed quickly in tending Meg, for Sheila would let no one look after her but herself. Then she informed Miss Gregson of her intention regarding the newcomer. Miss Gregson and Sheila had just finished dinner and were lingering over dessert when the bomb fell. "I have determined to keep Meg altogether," Sheila announced. "Altogether, my dear! Have you told her so?" Miss Gregson remembered how soon the girl's enthusiasm with regard to the children and her other hobbies had passed away; with what ardour they had been ridden for a time, and how complete the collapses had been! She trembled for the poor girl who lay upstairs in the blue room. "Yes, I have told her so and you should have just seen her face." "No doubt she is delighted," said Miss Gregson, a little pink flush rising on her cheeks. "You will have her trained I suppose under Elsie. She might possibly be made into a good lady's maid or housemaid." "No such thing," said Sheila triumphantly. "My plan is much more interesting than that. I am going to train her myself and to turn her into a lady." Miss Gregson dropped the nut crackers and stared. Sheila laughed. She had been prepared for this and was enjoying herself to the full. "You always say I am surprising," she said, "but you never thought I should be quite so surprising did you? Don't you think, dear Angel, that you ought to take a little ignatia? I am really worse than the bull. I see it in your face." Miss Gregson ignored the remark about her medicine. "You certainly take my breath away," she said as she lifted the nut crackers again. "I knew I should," said the girl gleefully. "I am full of plans. I shall treat her just like a sister. She shall have everything that I have, and in the first place she shall have some of my nice dresses to wear. Oh, how I shall enjoy dressing her up! Think of her hair! How magnificent it will look. And though her skin is of course very much tanned I don't know that she will look any the less pretty for that. Besides it will soon improve. You know the doctor told me distinctly that I have saved her from death. That very fact binds us together with a wonderful link. I'm quite sure I shall love her." Miss Gregson leaned back in her chair and contemplated the girl's eager face. She could not but admire the generous feeling that had prompted the strange resolution on Sheila's part, but for all that she pitied the poor girl who was to be the recipient of her charity. Knowing Sheila as she did, she did not for a moment suppose that her enthusiasm would last. The day would surely come when she would turn to her old friend, as she had lately done, and ask her to get her out of the difficulty. The auburn hair and long eyelashes would not charm for ever.