d softly from below.

"Dyar's dinner--I means lunch, seh," said Moses. "'Scuse me, seh."

"And I'm ready for it," said Croyden, as he went to the iron
wash-stand, and then slowly down stairs to the dining-room.

From some place, Moses had resurrected a white coat, yellow with its
ten years' rest, and was waiting to receive him. He drew out Croyden's
chair, as only a family servant of the olden times can do it, and bowed
him into his place.

The table was set exactly as in Colonel Duval's day, and very prettily
set, Croyden thought, with napery spotless, and china that was thin and
fine. The latter, if he had but known it, was Lowestoft and had served
the Duvals, on that very table, for much more than a hundred years.

There was cold ham, and cold chicken, lettuce with mayonnaise, deviled
eggs, preserves, with hot corn bread and tea. When Croyden had about
finished a leisurely meal, it suddenly occurred to him that however
completely stocked Clarendon was with things of the Past, they did not
apply to the larder, and _these_ victuals were undoubtedly fresh and
particularly good.

"By the way! Moses," he said, "I'm glad you were thoughtful enough to
send out and purchase these things," with an indicating motion to the
table. "They are very satisfactory."

"Pu'chase!" said the darky, in surprise. "Dese things not pu'chased.
No, seh! Dey's borro'd, seh, from Majah Bo'den's, yass, seh!"

"Good God!" Croyden exclaimed. "You don't mean you borrowed my
luncheon!"

"Yass, seh! Why not, seh? Jose jes' went ovah an' sez to Cassie--she's
de cook, at de Majah's, seh--sez she, Marster Croyden don' cum and
warns some'n to eat. An' she got hit, yass, seh!"

"Is it the usual thing, here, to borrow an entire meal from the
neighbor's?" asked Croyden.

"Sut'n'y, seh! We borrows anything we needs from the neighbors, an'
they does de same wid us."

"Well, I don't want any borrowing by _us_, Moses, please remember,"
said Croyden, emphatically. "The neighbors can borrow anything we have,
and welcome, but we won't claim the favor from them, you understand?"

"Yass, seh!" said the old darky, wonderingly.

Such a situation as one kitchen not borrowing from another was
incomprehensible. It had been done by the servants from time
immemorial--and, though Croyden might forbid, yet Josephine would
continue to do it, just the same--only, less openly.

"And see that everything is returned not later than to-morrow," Croyden
continued.