next, of
too much help," said Norah, laughing. "You'd find them very useful."

"I trust that I have never been afraid of work," said Miss de Lisle
severely. "But I have my position to consider. There are duties
which belong to it, and other duties which do not. My province is
cooking. Cooking. And nothing else. Who, I ask, is to keep my
kitchen clean?"

"Me, if necessary," said a voice in which Allenby the butler was
clearly merged in Allenby the sergeant. "Begging your pardon, sir."
He was deferential again--save for the eye with which he glared upon
Miss de Lisle. "I think, perhaps, between me and Sarah and--er--this
lady, we can arrange matters for the present without troubling you or
Miss Linton."

"Do," said his employer thankfully. He beat a retreat, followed by
Norah--rather to Norah's disappointment. She was beginning to feel
warlike, and hankered for the battle, with Allenby ranged on her side.

"I'm going to love Allenby," she said with conviction, as they gained
the outer regions.

"He's a trump!" said her father. "But isn't that a terrible woman,
Norah!"

"Here's another, anyhow," said Norah with a wild inclination to
giggle.

A dismal cab halted at a side entrance, and the driver was struggling
with a stout iron trunk. The passenger, a tall, angular woman, was
standing in the doorway.

"The housekeeper!" breathed Mr. Linton faintly. "Do you feel equal to
her, Norah?" He fled, with disgraceful weakness, to the
billiard-room.

"Good morning," Norah said, advancing.

"Good morning," returned the newcomer, with severity. "I have rung
three times."

"Oh--we're a little shorthanded," said Norah, and began to giggle
hopelessly, to her own dismay. Her world seemed suddenly full of
important upper servants, with no one to wait on them. It was rather
terrible, but beyond doubt it was very funny--to an Australian mind.

The housekeeper gazed at her with a sort of cold anger.

"I'm afraid I don't know which is your room," Norah said, recovering
under that fish-like glare. "You see, we've only just come. I'll
send Allenby." She hurried off, meeting the butler in the passage.

"Oh, Allenby," she said; "it's the housekeeper. And her trunk.
Allenby, what does a housekeeper do? She won't clean the kitchen for
Miss de Lisle, will she?"

"I'm afraid not, miss," said Allenby. His manner grew confidential;
had he not been so correct a butler, Norah felt that he might have
patted her