to tell you quite yet, but changing they are.'

'And I say they are _not_,' repeated Hollyhock with great zeal.

'Oh! what a bad, wicked little girl you are! What an awful trial to my
poor brother-in-law!'

'And I say I 'm not. I say that I 'm the joy of his life, the poor
dear! Auntie, you 'd best not try me too far.'

'May God grant me patience,' muttered Miss Delacour under her breath.

She went upstairs to the room where her sister had not died, and made
up her mind that as, of course, this wild family would not know
anything whatsoever of dressing for dinner, she need not trouble to
change her clothes. That being the case, she need not ring for the
objectionable young person called Magsie. 'Such a name for a maid!'
thought Miss Delacour. 'I'll just wear my old brown dress; it will
save the dresses which I have to keep for proper occasions in London.
Dear, dear, what an _awful_ house this is!'

She sank into a chair, saying to herself how much, how very much, Mrs
Macintyre would have to thank her for by-and-by! She looked at the
watch she wore in a leather wristlet, and decided that she might rest
for at least a quarter of an hour. She was really tired as well as
appalled at the state of things at The Garden. Presently, however,
seated in her easy-chair--and a very easy and comfortable chair it
was--she observed that all her trunks had been unpacked; not only
unpacked, but removed bodily from the large apartment. She felt a
sense of anger. That girl, Magsie, had taken a liberty in unpacking
her trunks. She should not have done so without asking permission. It
is true that she herself had left the keys of the said trunks on her
dressing-table, for most maids did unpack for her, but that was no
excuse for such a creature as Magsie.

Just then there came a tap at her door. She was beginning to feel
drowsy and comfortable, and said, in a cross voice, for she preened
herself on her French, '_Entrez!_'

Magsie had never heard '_Entrez_' before, but concluded that it was the
strange woman's way of saying, 'Come in.' She accordingly entered,
carrying a large brass can of boiling water.

'It has come to the bile, miss,' remarked Magsie, as she entered the
room, 'but ye can cool it down wi' cold water.'

'Thank you. You can leave it,' said Miss Delacour.

'What dress would ye be likin' to array yerself in?' asked Magsie.

'I'm not going to dress for dinner.'

'Not goin' to dress for dinner! But