米尔德里德的到来让露易丝很是为难，她和伊内兹互不相让，矛盾眼看要升级，最终露易丝想出了一个折中的办法……
Louise had been considerably puzzled to account for the presence of the strange girl in Uncle John's party.At ？rst she did not know whether to receive Mildred Travers as an equal or a dependent.Not until the three nieces were seated togetherin Louise's own room，exchanging girlish confidences，wasMildred's status clearly de？ned to the young mother.
"You see，"explained Patsy，"Uncle John was dreadfully worried over the baby.When you wrote of that terrible time the dear little one had with the colic，and how you were dependent on a Mexican girl who fed the innocent lamb some horrid hot stuff，Uncle declared it was a shame to imperila such a precious life，and that you must have a thoroughly competent nurse.""But，"said Louise，quite bewildered，"I'm afraid youdon't understand that—""And so，"broke in Beth，"I told him I knew of a perfect jewel of a trained nurse，who knows as much as most doctors and could guard the baby from a thousand dangers.I'd watched her care for one of our poor girls who was knocked down by an automobile and badly injured，and Mildred was so skillful and sympathetic that she quite won my heart.I wasn't sure，at ？rst，she'd come way out to California，to stay，but when I broached the subject she cried out：'Thank heaven！'in such a heart—felt，joyous tone that I was greatly relieved.So we brought her along，and—""Really，Beth，I don't need her，"protested Louise."The Mexicans are considered the best nurses in the world，and Inez is perfectly devoted to baby and worships her most sinfully.I got her from a woman who formerly employed heras a nurse and she gave Inez a splendid recommendation.Both Arthur and I believe she saved baby's life by her prompt action when the colic caught her.""But the hot stuff！"cried Patsy.
"It might have ruined baby's stomach for life，"asserted Beth.
"No；it's a simple Mexican remedy that is very ef？cient.
Perhaps，in my anxiety，I wrote more forcibly than the occasion justified，"admitted Louise；"but I have every con？dence in Inez."The girls were really dismayed and frankly displayed their chagrina.Louise laughed at them.
"Never mind，"she said；"it's just one of dear Uncle John'sblunders in trying to be good to me；so let's endeavor to wiggle out of b the hole as gracefully as possible.""I don't see how you'll do it，"confessed Patsy."Here'sMildred，permanently engaged and all expenses paid.""She is really a superior person，as you'll presently discover，"added Beth."I've never dared question her as to her family history，but I venture to say she is well born and with just as good antecedents as we have—perhaps better.""She's very quiet and undemonstrativea，"said Patsy musinglyb.
"Naturally，being a trained nurse.I liked her face，"saidLouise，"but her eyes puzzle me.""They are her one unfortunate feature，"Beth agreed."They're cold，"said Patsy；"that's the trouble.You neverget into her eyes，somehow.They repel you.""I never look at them，"said Beth."Her mouth is sweet and sensitive and her facial expression pleasant.She moves as gracefully and silently as—as—""As a cat，"suggested Patsy.
"And she is acquainted with all the modern methods of nursing，although she's done a lot of hospital work，too.""Well，"said Louise，re？ectively，"I'll talk it over with Arthur and see what we can do.Perhaps baby needs two nurses.We can't discharge Inez，for Toodlums is even more contented with her than with me；but I admit it will be a satisfaction to have so thoroughly competent a nurse as Miss Travers at hand in case of emergency.And，above all else，I don't want to hurt dear Uncle John's feelings."She did talk it over with Arthur，an hour later，andher boy husband declared he had "sized up the situation"the moment he laid eyes on Mildred at the depot.They owed a lot to Uncle John，he added，and the most graceful thing they could do，under the circumstances，was to instal Miss Traversas head nurse and retain Inez as her assistant.
"The chances are，"said Arthur laughingly，"that the Mexican girl will have most of the care of Toodlums，as she does now，while the superior will remain content to advise Inez and keep a general supervision over the nursery.So ？x it up that way，Louise，and everybody will be happy."Uncle John was thanked so heartily for his thoughtfulness by the young couple that his kindly face glowed with satisfaction，and then Louise began the task of reconciling the two nurses to the proposed arrangement and defining the duties of each.Mildred Travers inclined her head graciouslyand said it was an admirable arrangement and quite satisfactory to her.But Inez listened sullenly and her dark eyes glowed with resentment.
"You not trust me more，then？"she added.
"Oh，yes，Inez；we trust you as much as ever，"Louise assured her.
"Then why you hire this strange woman？"
"She is a present to us，from my Uncle John，who came this morning.He didn't know you were here，you see，or he would not have brought her."Inez remained unmolli？eda.
"Miss Travers is a very skillful baby doctor，"continued Louise，"and she can mend broken bones，cure diseases and make the sick well."Inez nodded.
"I know.A witch—woman，"she said in a whisper."You can trust me se？ora，but you cannot trust her.No witch—woman can be trusted."Louise smiled but thought best not to argue the point farther.Inez went back to the nursery hugging Toodlums as jealously as if she feared some one would snatch the little one from her arms.
Next morning Mildred said to Beth，in whom shecon？ded most：
