Minty's eyes continued to devour her as the guest devoured
the biscuit and honey; and it required an occasional warning, "Eat your
supper, Minty," from Mrs. Lem, to deliver Sylvia periodically from the
round, expressionless stare.

"What delicious milk!" said the girl, as she set down her empty glass;
"and this cream would make city people open their eyes."

"It don't seem to me it's quite as rich as common," returned Mrs. Lem.
"We often have it so thick it has to be dilated with water."

Sylvia met Thinkright's eyes and laughed. "That is a frequent necessity
in the city," she said. "I wish it weren't."

"Oh, yes," Mrs. Lem raised her eyebrows, "I know it. Of course it takes
such legions o' milk to supply the cities you can't trust 'em around a
pump. Have some more o' the lobsters, Miss Lacey."

"Oh, no, thank you."

"Then," said Thinkright, "perhaps you'd like to go and help Minty bring
home her Daisy."

"Who is Daisy?" asked Sylvia of the solemnly staring child, who had
been mute throughout the meal.

"My cow," drawled Minty.

"I'm mortally afraid of cows," declared Sylvia.

"Daisy ain't ugly," returned Minty.

"Then if you'll promise to take care of me"--

"I will," declared the child, her cheeks flushing with the pleasure
that her drawl could not convey.

"She usually gits the cow afore supper," explained Mrs. Lem, "but
to-day she couldn't very well." She looked complacently at her child's
toilet. "You needn't mind the dishes, Minty."

At the permission the child fled from the room and clattered up the
back stairs. The others rose from the table, and Mrs. Lem assumed a
large apron and began gathering up the dishes.

"You may help if you like, Sylvia," said Thinkright. "We want you to
feel at home."

The girl hesitated. She disliked wrecks of meals, and the way for her
to feel at home was to do nothing at all. She began awkwardly to take
up the silver.

"No, no, don't do it, Miss Lacey." Mrs. Lem perceived at once the
unaccustomed touch, and her New York hypothesis was strengthened. "You
hain't any apern, and I do think," with an airy laugh, "you might git
unpacked afore they set you to work."

"Oh, yes, let her help till Minty comes," said Thinkright, with the
manner of conferring a favor upon the guest, who echoed a faint
agreement and went on gathering up the knives and forks, while her host
left the house. Her ordeal did not last long, for Minty, still flushed
of cheeks from the excitement