h I
really haven't any time for. Do you quite see now?"

"I will do all I can," Nell said, and she laughed.

Lady Wolfer glanced at her rather curiously.

"How pretty you look when you laugh--quite different. You struck me as
looking rather sad and sobered when I first saw you; but when you
laugh----I should advise you not to laugh when you first see Lord
Wolfer, or he'll think you too absurdly young and girlish for the post.
Do take your hat and jacket off! It will be some time before your room
is ready. Let me help you."

Nell got her outdoor things off quickly, and Lady Wolfer looked at her
still more approvingly.

"You really are quite a child, my dear!" she said, and for some reason
or other she sighed. "Why didn't Wolfer tell me about you before, I
wonder? I wish he had; I should like to have had you come and stay with
us. But he is so reserved----" she sighed again. "But never mind; you
are here now. And how tired you must be! You are looking a little pale
now. Why don't you drink that wine? When you are rested--quite
rested--to-night, after dinner, perhaps--let me see, am I going
anywhere?"

She consulted a large engagement slate of white porcelain which stood
erect on the crowded table.

"Hem! yes, I have to speak at the Sisters of State Society. Never mind;
to-morrow, after lunch--if I'm at home. Yes, I can see that we shall be
great friends, and that is what I wanted. The others--I mean your
predecessors--were such terrible old frumps, without any idea above
cutlets and clean sheets, that they only bored and worried me; but you
will be quite different----"

"Perhaps I shan't be able to rise to the cutlet and clean sheets,"
suggested Nell diffidently; but her ladyship laughed.

"Oh, yes, you will!" she declared. "I am an excellent judge of
character--it's one of my qualifications for the work I'm engaged
in--and I can see that you are an admirable manager. I suppose you ran
the house at home?"

Nell smiled.

"'Home' meant quite a small cottage," she said. "This is a mansion."

"Same thing," commented Lady Wolfer encouragingly. "It's all a question
of system. I haven't any; you have; therefore you'll succeed where I
fail. You've got that quiet, mousy little way which indicates strength
of character----What beautiful hair you have, by the way."

Nell blushed.

"It's no prettier than yours. Why do you wear it so short, Lady Wolfer?"

Lady Wolfer laughed--just a little wearily, so it struck Nel