chen.

"Dear me, Miss Kathleen!" she said; "if only Miss Alice was as
good-natured as you, why, the house would go on wheels."

"I often helped the servants at home," said Kathleen. "Why isn't Alice
good-natured?"

"She's made contrairy, I expect, miss."

"Cut on the cross, I call it," said cook, who came forward at this
juncture and offered a chair to Kathleen.

"Well, if that's the case I'm sorry for her," said Kathleen. "It must be
very unpleasant to feel sort of peppery-and-salty and cross-grained all
the time."

"It isn't what you ever feel, miss," said cook with an admiring glance
at the young lady.

Kathleen fixed her deep-blue roguish eyes on the good woman's face.

"No," she said, "I don't think I am cross-grained. By the way, cook,
wouldn't you like a black silk apron embroidered with violets to wear
when you have done all your dirty work in the kitchen?"

"Cooks don't wear black silk aprons embroidered with violets," was the
good woman's answer.

"But this cook might, if a nice Irish girl, who has plenty of money,
gave it to her. I have it in the bottom of my trunk. I asked Aunt Katie
O'Flynn to send it to me for your mistress, but your mistress doesn't
care for it. I will give it to you, cook.--And, Maria, I've got a little
toque for you. It is sky-blue with forget-me-nots. Have you a young man,
Maria? Most girls have, haven't they? Wouldn't you like to walk out with
him in a sky-blue toque trimmed with forget-me-nots?"

"It puts me all in a flutter to think of it, miss," said Maria. "I am
sure a sweeter young lady never came into this house."

Kathleen chatted on to the retainers, as she called cook and Maria,
until she had toasted enough bread. She then went into the dining-room.
Alice was there, looking pale and headachy. The day was a very cold one,
and the fire was by no means bright. Kathleen's intensely rosy
cheeks--for the fire had considerably scorched them--attracted Alice's
attention.

"I do wish you wouldn't do servant's work," she said. "You annoy me
terribly by the way you go on."

"Oh, don't be annoyed, darling," said Kathleen softly. "Just regard me
as a necessary evil. You see, Alice, however cross you are, I'd have the
others all on my side. There's your mother and David and Ben and the two
servants. It isn't worth while, Alice. If they all like me, why
shouldn't you?"

Alice made no reply. Kathleen stood still for a moment; then she
glanced at the clock. It was a quarte