to have hidden themselves away. Colonel and Mrs Saville were full of
delight in their new home, and the sense of rest and security which came
from being settled down in England, with their children beside them.
Arthur's prospects improved from day to day as he became more widely
known and appreciated, while Peggy was an hourly comfort and delight.
Her post as only daughter was no sinecure, for a delicate mother left
all the household management in her hands, while an exacting father
grumbled loudly if she were not ready to bestow her company upon him at
a moment's notice. Like most men who have lived in India and have been
accustomed to an unlimited number of native servants, Colonel Saville
was by no means easy to satisfy. He expected the household arrangements
to move along as if on oiled wheels, whereas, needless to say, a
_menage_ over which Miss Peggy presided, was subject on the contrary to
some painful vicissitudes. When the post of housekeeper had been
deputed to her, Peggy had been greatly elated by her increased
importance, and with characteristic modesty had expatiated upon her
peculiar fitness for the post, and declared her intention of exhibiting
a really well-conducted establishment to the gaze of the world. She
provided herself with a huge account book, marched about the house
jingling an enormous bunch of keys, and would allow no one else but
herself to weigh out provisions in the store-room. The first week's
bill made Colonel Saville open his eyes, but his daughter explained with
much suavity that, living so far from shops of every description, it was
necessary to lay in a large stock of dried goods, so that one should be
able to supplement a meal on the arrival of unexpected visitors, and
also be independent of the vagaries of parcel post. This was an
unanswerable argument, and the colonel was the more inclined to
acquiesce, since the menus of the last week had been all that even his
exacting taste could desire.

There were few things which Peggy could not manage to accomplish if she
gave her mind to the subject, and while the novelty of the charge lasted
she spared neither time nor pains to ensure success. The morning's
consultation with the cook was a solemn function with which nothing was
allowed to interfere. New and fantastic arrangements of flowers graced
the dinner-table each day, and the parlour-maid quailed before an eye
which seemed able to descry dust in the most out-of-the-way corn