"Thurston—Rhoda Mary Thurston. Mrs. Mulford told me all about my parents. She said my father was a good mechanic, but he was always unlucky, and finally died by a fall from the roof of a building. I was born and my mother died at 'The Home.' Mrs. Mulford said mother was one of the best women she ever knew, and very well-educated. She had charge of the nursery, but she only lived two years after I was born, and I don't remember her at all, but they all say I am like her." "I think you had better take your real name again," said Miss Hardy. "I am sure I would much rather," answered Rhoda, flushing. "I have tried not to have any hard feeling toward Mr. and Mrs. Bowers, but I don't like to think of them." "Very well. Henceforth you are Miss Thurston. I shall introduce you by that name, and put it down in the catalogue." "But you will let me take care of you all the same?" said Rhoda, anxiously; "you won't want anybody else?" "Oh no; never fear," answered Miss Hardy, smiling. "You are too good a nurse to be put aside." CHAPTER XVII. _DOCTOR DOUGLASS._ IT was something like a douche of cold water to Mr. Ferrand when Miss Hardy, with a certain twinkle in her eyes, introduced: "Miss Thurston, one of my young ladies." But he "accepted the situation" like the gentleman he really was, in spite of his numerous crochets. "I have had the pleasure of meeting Miss Thurston before," said he, cordially shaking hands with Rhoda. "I am glad to see her looking so well, and so pleasantly situated. Mrs. Ferrand, my dear, here is an old friend." But Isa had already thrown herself upon Rhoda's neck with a cry of joy, which was decidedly hysterical in its sound, and Mr. Ferrand, for a wonder, did not reprove her, as he certainly would have done if such a demonstration had taken place in his own home. "Suppose, Rhoda, you take Isa up and show her the house," said Miss Hardy, presently. Mr. Ferrand looked a little uneasy, but he did not interfere. "Isa is not looking well," remarked Miss Hardy when the girls had left the room. "She is not well," answered her sister. "I hoped Henry Douglass might come down while we were here. I should like him to see her." "I have written to him that you were coming," said Miss Hardy. "I presume we shall see him before many days." "My dear, you are over-anxious about Isabella," remarked Mr. Ferrand. "The child is essentially well, though perhaps somewhat fatigued with her late application. We have had a visit in Milby from a very superior music-master who only stayed a month. I was desirous of having our daughter profit as far as possible by his instructions, and she has therefore taken a lesson every day and spent most of her time at the piano. But she is quite well, and the recreation of travelling will soon remove any little extra fatigue." It struck Miss Hardy that there was a little unnecessary self-assertion and emphasis in Mr. Ferrand's remarks, as if he were trying to convince himself as well as his wife.