u have heard whether
Dr. Tolbridge and his wife have returned. I suppose you will be going
back to them immediately."

"Oh no," said La Fleur, her eyes humbly directed toward the floor as she
spoke, "at least not for a permanency. I shall get the doctor a good
cook. I shall make it my business to see that she is a person fully
capable of filling the position. I have my eyes on such a one. As for me,
I shall stay here with my dear Miss Cicely."

"Good heavens, woman!" exclaimed Miss Panney, "your Miss Cicely isn't
head of this house. What do you mean by talking in that way? Miss
Haverley is mistress of this establishment. Haven't you sense enough to
know that you are in her service, and that Miss Drane and her mother are
merely boarders?"

Not a quiver or a shake was seen on the surface of the gentle jelly.

"Oh, of course," said La Fleur, with her head on one side, and her
smile at its angle of humility, "I meant that I would come to her when
she is settled here as Mrs. Haverley, and her dear mother is living
with her, and when Miss Miriam has gone to finish her education at
whatever seminary is decided on. Then this house will seem like my true
home, and begging your pardon, madam, you cannot imagine how happy I am
going to be."

"You!" exclaimed Miss Panney. "What earthly difference does it make to
anybody whether you are happy or not?"

The jelly seemed to grow softer and more transparent.

"I am only a cook," said La Fleur, "but I can be as happy as persons of
the highest quality, and I understand their natures very well, having
lived with them. And words cannot tell you, madam, how it gladdens my old
heart to think that I had so much to do myself with the good fortunes of
us all, for the Dranes and me are a happy family now, and I hope may long
be so, and hold together. I am sure I did everything that my humble mind
could conceive, to give those two every chance of being together, and to
keep other people away by discussing household matters whenever needed;
for I had made up my mind that Miss Cicely and Mr. Haverley were born for
each other, and if I could help them get each other, I would do it. When
your telegram came, madam, it disturbed me, for I saw that it might spoil
everything, by taking him away just at the time when they had nobody but
each other for company, and when he was beginning to forget that he had
ever been engaged to Miss Bannister, as you told me he was, madam, though
I think you must