their home.

"The cart for the luggage will be here presently, sir," Jones, the old
coachman, told Mr. Linton. So they left a bewildering assortment of
suit-cases and trunks piled up on the platform in the care of an
ancient porter, and packed themselves into the carriage. Norah was
wont to say that the only vehicle capable of accommodating her three
long men-folk comfortably was an omnibus. The fog was lifting as they
rolled smoothly up the long avenue; and just as they came within sight
of the house a gleam of pale sunlight found its way through the misty
clouds and lingered on the ivy-clad gables. The front door was flung
wide to welcome them: on the steps hovered the ex-sergeant, wearing a
discreet smile. Behind him fluttered a print dress and a white apron,
presumably worn by his niece.

"I say, Norah, don't you feel like the Queen of Sheba entering her
ancestral halls?" whispered Wally wickedly, as they mounted the steps.

"If she felt simply horrible, then I do!" returned Norah. "I suppose
I'll get used to it in time, but at present I want a hollow log to
crawl into!"

Allenby greeted them respectfully.

"We did not know what rooms you would like, sir," he said. "They are
all practically ready, of course. My niece, miss, thought you might
prefer the blue bedroom. Her name is Sarah, miss."

"We don't want the best rooms--the sunniest, I mean," Norah said.
"They must be for the Tired People, mustn't they, Dad?"

"Well, there are no Tired People, except ourselves, at present," said
her father, laughing. "So if you have a fancy for any room, you had
better take it, don't you think?"

"Well, we'll tour round, and see," said Norah diplomatically, with
mental visions of the sudden "turning-out" of rooms should weary
guests arrive. "It might be better to settle down from the first as
we mean to be."

"A lady has come, miss," said Allenby. "I understood her to say she
was the cook, but perhaps I made a mistake?" He paused,
questioningly, his face comically puzzled.

"Oh--Miss de Lisle?"

"Yes, miss."

"Oh, yes, she's the cook," said Norah. "And the housekeeper--Mrs.
Atkins?"

"No one else has arrived, miss."

"Well, I expect she'll come," said Norah. "At least she promised."

"Miss de Lisle, miss, asked for her kitchenmaid."

"There isn't one, at present," said Norah, feeling a little desperate.

"Oh!" said Allenby, looking blank. "I--I am afraid, miss, that the
lady expects one."