"Some one Mrs Grove has seen," said Graeme, evasively.

"But what about Nelly? Surely you are not thinking of changing
servants, Graeme?"

"Oh! I hope not; but Nelly has been out of sorts lately--grumbled a
little--"

"Out of sorts, grumbled!" exclaimed Fanny, vexed that Mrs Grove had
introduced the subject, and more vexed still that Arthur should have
addressed his question to Graeme. "She has been very disagreeable,
indeed, not to say impertinent, and I shall not bear it any longer."

Poor little Fanny could hardly keep back her tears.

"Impertinent to you, Fanny," cried Graeme and Arthur in a breath.

"Well, to mamma--and she is not very respectful to me, sometimes, and
mamma says Nelly has been long enough here. Servants always take
liberties after a time; and, besides, she looks upon Graeme as mistress
rather than me. She quite treats me like a child," continued Fanny, her
indignation increasing as she proceeded.

"And, besides," she added, after there had been a moment's uncomfortable
silence, "Nelly wishes to go."

"Is Barkis willing at last?" said Arthur, trying to laugh off the
discomfort of the moment.

Rose laughed too. It had afforded them all much amusement to watch the
slow courtship of the dignified Mr Stirling. Nelly always denied that
there was anything more in the gardener's attentions, than just the
good-will and friendliness of a countryman, and he certainly was a long
time in coming to the point they all acknowledged.

"Nonsense, Arthur! That has nothing to do with it," said Fanny.

"Then, she must be going to her sister--the lady with a fabulous number
of cows and children. She has spoken about that every summer, more or
less. Her conscience pricks her, every new baby she hears of. But she
will get over it. It is all nonsense about her leaving."

"But it is not nonsense," said Fanny, sharply. "Of course Graeme will
not like her to go, but Nelly is very obstinate and disagreeable, and
mamma says I shall never be mistress in my own house while she stays.
And I think we ought to take a good servant when we have the chance."

"But how good a servant is she?" asked Arthur.

"Didn't you hear what mamma said about her? And, of course, she has
references and written characters, and all that sort of thing."

"Well, I think we may as well `sleep upon it,' as Janet used to say.
There will be time enough to decide after to-night," said Arthur, taking
up his newspaper, more anno