ow have been busy and happy too. She began to
feel ashamed of herself. How foolish she had been. She would go back
again and see if she could not be more sensible, and she rose from her
seat and turned her face homewards.

The house seemed deserted when at last she reached it. She went into the
hall, looked in the dining-room and drawing-room, saw no one, and strolled
out to the garden.

"Where can they all be?" she wondered, "and what can they be doing?"

From the kitchen came a great clatter of crockery. Anna was washing
dishes, and by the noise one could gather that Anna's temper was not of
the smoothest.

As Esther stepped out she saw Miss Charlotte coming towards her from the
group of outbuildings, carrying a basket of eggs. She was looking grave
and worried, and for a moment Esther felt she could not speak to her then;
she must wait until she found her again in such a mood as last night's.
But a second glance told her that Miss Charlotte looked tired, and without
giving herself time to think, Esther stepped up to her.

"Cousin Charlotte," she said, "I have nothing to do; let me help you--may
I?"

Cousin Charlotte's face brightened. "Oh, could you, dear? I am so busy I
don't know what to do first. I wonder if you could wash those eggs for
me, and write the date on them?"

Esther assented joyfully, and Miss Ashe led her to the pantry and showed
her where to find a cloth and a pencil and a place to store the eggs.

"While you are doing that, I can make out my list to send to Gorley; that
will be capital!"

"Cousin Charlotte," said Esther, in a voice that trembled a little with
nervousness, "I--I wanted to speak to you. I--I--you said you were trying
to get another servant." Miss Charlotte sighed. "I know you don't want
to, and--and don't you think we could manage without one, if I--if I
helped Anna?" Her voice was trembling, uncertain, but there was no
mistaking the earnestness of her purpose. "I used to help a lot at home,
and I should like to here. I can sweep, and dust, and make beds, and
clean silver, and cook some things, and--oh, I can do lots of little
useful things. I could keep our bedrooms dusted, and the drawing-room--
and it would all help, wouldn't it?"

Miss Ashe, who had paused in what she was doing, listened attentively.
"My dear," she said, as gravely as Esther herself, "it is very good and
thoughtful of you to think of such a thing, and you can certainly be most
useful in