ers.

For the first week, then, all went well, and the new housekeeper sunned
herself in an atmosphere of praise and congratulation. The colonel
tugged his moustache and vowed that at this rate she would beat the
"boy" who had managed his Indian home. Mrs Saville murmured:

"My darling, you are so clever! I can't think how you do it!" and the
cook said that she had seen a deal of the world, and knew her way about
as well as most, but never, no never, had she met a young lady with her
head screwed so straight on her shoulders.

Protestations, however, do not go on for ever, and it is astonishing how
speedily a new regime loses its novelty, and is taken as a matter of
course. When Peggy had been in command a fortnight, no one thought of
praising her efforts any more, or of expressing satisfaction at their
result. It was simply taken for granted that she would fulfil her duty
without any more being said on the subject. She had been congratulated
on her start, and that was all that was required. One could not be
expected to lay daily tribute of praise at her feet. Unfortunately,
however, this was just what Miss Peggy _did_ expect, and in proportion
as the applause died away, so did her interest in her duties. It grew
monotonous to weigh out everlasting stores: dinners and lunches seemed
to come round with disgraceful rapidity, and the question of food
absorbed an unreasonable amount of time out of one's life. Cook looked
askance when two courses were suddenly cut off the evening dinner, and
cold meat ordered as the _piece de resistance_ at lunch, hut there were
worse things in store!

There came a morning when she waited for her young mistress's appearance
until ten o'clock came, and eleven, and twelve, and waited in vain, for
Miss Peggy was far away, scouring the country on her bicycle, with never
a thought for home duties until a spasm of hunger brought with it a pang
of recollection. Horrors! she had forgotten all about the morning's
orders and here it was close upon lunch-time, and her father doubtless
already wending his way home, hungrily anticipating his tiffin.

Surely, surely cook would rise to the occasion and arrange a menu on her
own account! Peggy comforted herself in the certainty that this would
be the case, the while she pedalled home as fast as wheels would take
her. But she was mistaken in her surmises. Mistress Cook had no idea
of being played fast and loose with in this haphazard fashio