ks, I'm sure."

"You mended that little place in the curtain, did you, Martha?"

"I did, Mam. I don't think as you could find it now, unless you looked
very close."

"And you put lavender and orange-flower water in the bottles? Very well;
then that's all, I think."

[Illustration: "'AND EVERYTHING IS RIGHT FOR SUPPER, MARTHA?'"]

Miss Wealthy gave one more contented look round the pretty room, with
its gay rose-flowering chintz, its cool straw matting, and
comfortable cushioned window-seats, and then drew the blinds exactly
half-way down, and left the room, Martha carefully closing the door.

In the cool, shady drawing-room all was in perfect order too. There were
flowers in the tall Indian vases on the mantelpiece, a great bowl of
roses on the mosaic centre-table, and, as usual, a bunch of pansies on
the little round table by the armchair in which Miss Wealthy always sat.
She established herself there now, and took up her knitting with a
little sigh of contentment.

"And everything is right for supper, Martha?" she asked.

"Yes, Mam," said Martha. "A little chicken-pie, Mam, and French
potatoes, and honey. I should be making the biscuit now, Mam, if you
didn't need me."

"Oh no, Martha," said the old lady, "I don't need anything. We shall
hear the wheels when they come."

She looked out of the window, across the pleasant lawn, at the blue
river, and seemed for a moment as if she were going to ask Martha
whether that were all right. But she said nothing, and the saint in gray
print trotted away to her kitchen.

"Dear Martha!" said Miss Wealthy, settling herself comfortably among her
cushions. "It is a great privilege to have Martha. I do hope these dear
girls will not put her out. She grows a little set in her ways as she
grows older, my good Martha. I don't think that blind is _quite_
half-way down. It makes the whole room look askew, doesn't it?"

She rose, and pulled the blind straight, patted a tidy on the back of a
chair, and settled herself among her cushions again, with another
critical glance at the river. A pause ensued, during which the old
lady's needles clicked steadily; then, at last, the sound of wheels was
heard, and putting her work down in exactly the same spot from which she
had taken it up, Miss Wealthy went out on the piazza to welcome her
young guests.

Hildegarde sprang lightly from the carriage, and gave her hand to her
companion to help her out.

"Dear Cousin Wealthy," she cried