"It seems too bad the old lady should be taken ill at this juncture," said Mrs. Seymour. "And Manila's been such a faithful child. She's been growing tall this summer and autumn and I suppose has run ahead of her strength. Then with the two children to look after--well a little nurse girl has rather hard lines--they seldom have more than one, or if they do the others are older. My two boys are in boarding school. I've wished one was a girl, they are so much more company for the mother. But I'd wanted _her_ to be pretty," she cast a sidelong glance at the twins. "It's a pity Jack should have taken all the beauty."