tting, simply dressed, and
with work, books and drawings on the table before them, she was
surprised and vexed. There was nothing grand to be seen anywhere.

When Miss Somers tried to find out what would interest her, and talked
of walks, and flowers and gardens, Miss Barbara was offended. "I will
show them," she said to herself, "that I can talk of other things." So
in a grand tone she spoke of what she did not understand, until her
mistaken airs of gentility made the ladies of the Abbey feel first
amused and then ashamed. One by one the ladies left the room, and when
Miss Somers went to change her dress for dinner, Barbara was left
alone with some pretty drawings to amuse her. But the silly girl paid
no heed to these. She could think only of the ball. Suddenly she
remembered that nothing had been said about the guinea-hen. The truth
was that Betty, in the hurry of dressing Barbara for her visit to the
Abbey, had forgotten the bird, but it arrived just as Miss Somers was
dressing. The housekeeper went to her mistress's room to say it had
come.

"Ma'am," she said, "here's a beautiful guinea-hen just come with Miss
Barbara Case's compliments."

Miss Somers thought by the housekeeper's tone that she was not quite
pleased, and she soon found she was right in thinking so. The woman
came close up to the dressing-table, and said, "I never like to speak
till I'm sure, ma'am, and I'm not quite sure in this case, ma'am, but
still I think it right to tell you what crossed my mind about this
same guinea-hen, ma'am, and you can ask about it or do as you feel
best, ma'am. Some time ago we had guinea-fowls of our own, and not
knowing they were going to die as they have done, ma'am, I made bold
to give a couple last Christmas to Susan Price, and very proud of them
she was, ma'am, and I'm sure would never have parted with the hen of
her own will. But if my eyes don't deceive me, ma'am, this guinea-hen
that Miss Barbara sends to you with her compliments is the same that I
gave to Susan. How Miss Barbara came by it, I can't tell, ma'am, but
if my boy Philip was at home, he might know, for he's often at Farmer
Price's cottage. If you wish it, ma'am, I'll ask him when he comes
home to-night."

"I think the best way will be for me to ask Miss Case herself about it
this evening," said Miss Somers.

Dinner was now served. Attorney Case expected to smell mint sauce, and
as the covers were taken off the dishes he looked around for lamb, b