self together with an
effort.

"Do you suppose that girl could have dropped that lid on purpose?" he
asked, as if this were the question he had been so deeply pondering.

"I feel not the least doubt of it," returned Mrs. Falkener.

He shook his head.

"It seems almost incredible," he answered, moving swiftly across the
hall toward the sitting-room, where Tucker and Miss Falkener were
visible.

"On the contrary," replied the elder lady, "it seems to me perfectly in
keeping with the whole conduct of this extraordinary young person." They
had now entered the room, and she included Tucker and her daughter in an
account of the incident.

"You know, Solon, and you, too, Cora, how easy I am on servants. I must
admit, every one will confirm it, that my own servants adore me. They
adore me, don't they, Cora? No wonder. I see to their comfort. They have
their own bath, and a sitting-room far better than anything I had myself
as a young woman. But in return I do demand respect, absolute respect.
And when I am looking into an ice-box, examining it, at Burton's special
request, to have that young minx slam down the lid, almost catching my
nose, Solon, I assure you, almost touching my nose, as she did it!"

Tucker listened attentively, tapping his eye-glasses on his left palm.
Then he said:

"And what did you do about it, Burton?"

Crane had gone to the bookcases and taken down a volume of Shakespeare.
He was so profoundly immersed that Tucker had to repeat his question.
This is what he was reading:

_Juliet_: Think you that we shall ever meet again?

_Romeo_: I doubt it not, and all our woes shall serve
For pleasant converse in the days to come.

He looked up, vainly trying to suppress a smile.

"What did I do about what, Tuck?"

"About your cook's insulting Mrs. Falkener."

Crane replaced the volume and walked to the window.

"Oh," he said, "I stayed behind a moment--"

"A moment!" said Mrs. Falkener, with something that would have been a
snort in one less self-controlled.

At this instant, Crane's attention was attracted by a figure he saw
crossing the grounds, and he decided to create a diversion.

"Oh, look!" he exclaimed. "Do come and see the housemaid going out for a
walk. Did you ever see anything smarter than she looks?"

The diversion was of a more exciting nature than he had intended. Mrs.
Falkener came to the window and uttering a piercing exclamation, she
cried:

"The wo