re difficult to do things oneself, than to tell people
how they should be done.

In a gust of impatient anger she caught up the glasses again. "I wish I
could teach Mary to wash tumblers properly," she said crossly,
"and silver. There is not one thing fit to use----"

"Well, can't you? If you showed her the way once or twice I am sure she
would learn. She is very anxious to improve herself."

The hot words on Audrey's lips died away, but not the anger in her heart,
as she dashed out to the kitchen again. "I want some hot water,"
she demanded peremptorily, "every tumbler needs washing, Mary," she said
sharply, "there isn't one fit to use."

Mary's face fell. "There isn't any hot water, miss, the fire has gone
clean out."

"Then it's the only thing that is clean," said Audrey rudely.

Mary's eyes flashed. "Serves me right for not tending to my own work,
and leaving others to tend to theirs," she retorted. She was tired, hot,
and thoroughly put out by the upset of the morning, and while she was
doing all she knew to make up for her fault, out came Audrey nagging at
her. "Another time I'll know better than start moving furniture and
washing floors late in the morning, when I ought to be getting my dinner
forward."

"That didn't prevent your washing the glasses properly last night, did
it?" snapped Audrey. "If you did things properly once, they wouldn't need
doing a second time."

Mary lost her temper entirely. "It is easy for them to talk as don't do
anything," she muttered sullenly; "it's them that work that knows----"

Fortunately Faith came into the kitchen at that moment, bringing word that
someone had knocked twice at the front door, and Mary departed hurriedly.
But though her coming checked any further hot words, it could not drive
away the recollection of what Mary had said.

"It's easy for them to talk as don't do anything." Was that what Mary
thought of her? Did others think the same? Was that the character she
had earned? The words rang in her ears, the mortification bit deep.
It was hateful to be so spoken to by a little ignorant country servant;
but the sharpest sting lay in the knowledge that Mary was right. No one
knew, and Audrey would not have liked anyone to know how she loathed doing
the things that she blamed others for not doing.

"What is the matter?" asked Faith, "can't you find something you want?"

"The glasses aren't clean, and there is no hot water to wash them with.
I