an for
the cream."

Mrs. Salisbury knew that it was useless to ask if everything was in
readiness for the evening's event. From where she stood she could see
piles of plates already neatly ranged in the warming oven, peeled
potatoes were soaking in ice water in a yellow bowl, and the parsley
that would garnish the big platter was ready, crisp and fresh in a
glass of water.

"Well, you look nice and peaceful," smiled the mistress. "I am just
going to dress for a little tea, and I may have to look in at the
opening of the Athenaeum Club," she went on, fussing with a frill at
her wrist, "so I may be as late as five. But I'll bring some flowers
when I come. Miss Alexandra will probably be at home by that time, but
if she isn't--if she isn't, perhaps you would just go in and straighten
the living room, Justine? I put things somewhat in order yesterday, and
dusted a little, but, of course, things get scattered about, and it
needs a little attention. She may of course be back in time to do it--"

Her voice drifted away into casual silence. She looked at Justine
expectantly, confidently. The maid flushed uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry," she said frankly. "But that's against one of our rules,
you know. I am not supposed to--"

"Not ordinarily, I understand that," Mrs. Salisbury agreed quickly.
"But in an emergency--"

Again she hesitated. And Justine, with the maddening gentleness of the
person prepared to carry a point at all costs, answered again:

"It's the rule. I'm sorry; but I am not supposed to."

"I should suppose that you were in my house to make yourself useful to
me," Mrs. Salisbury said coldly. She used a tone of quiet dignity; but
she knew that she had had the worst of the encounter. She was really a
little dazed by the firmness of the rebuff.

"They make a point of our keeping to the letter of the law," Justine
explained.

"Not knowing what my particular needs are, nor how I like my house to
be run, is that it?" the other woman asked shrewdly.

"Well--" Justine hung upon an embarrassed assent. "But perhaps they
won't be so firm about it as soon as the school is really established,"
she added eagerly.

"No; I think they will not!" Mrs. Salisbury agreed with a short laugh,
"inasmuch as they CANNOT, if they ever hope to get any foothold at all!"

And she left the kitchen, feeling that in the last remark at least she
had scored, yet very angry at Justine, who made this sort of warfare
necessary.

"If thi