of the new servant
was Thomas Thompson, a name that Dorothy soon abbreviated to Tom-Tom.

One day she said to him, by way of opening the acquaintance, "Thomas, you
and I should be good friends; we have so much in common."

"Thank you, my lady," responded Thomas, greatly pleased. "I hope we shall
be good friends; indeed, indeed I do, but I cannot tell wherein I am so
fortunate as to have anything in common with your Ladyship. What is it,
may I ask, of which we have so much in common?"

"So much hair," responded Dorothy, laughing.

"It were blasphemy, lady, to compare my hair with yours," returned Thomas.
"Your hair, I make sure, is such as the blessed Virgin had. I ask your
pardon for speaking so plainly; but your words put the thought into my
mind, and perhaps they gave me license to speak."

Thomas was on his knees, placing wood upon the fire.

"Thomas," returned Dorothy, "you need never apologize to a lady for making
so fine a speech. I declare a courtier could not have made a better one."

"Perhaps I have lived among courtiers, lady," said Thomas.

"I doubt not," replied Dorothy, derisively. "You would have me believe you
are above your station. It is the way with all new servants. I suppose
you have seen fine company and better days."

"I have never seen finer company than now, and I have never known better
days than this," responded courtier Thomas. Dorothy thought he was
presuming on her condescension, and was about to tell him so when he
continued: "The servants at Haddon Hall are gentlefolk compared with
servants at other places where I have worked, and I desire nothing more
than to find favor in Sir George's eyes. I would do anything to achieve
that end."

Dorothy was not entirely reassured by Thomas's closing words; but even if
they were presumptuous, she admired his wit in giving them an inoffensive
turn. From that day forth the acquaintance grew between the servant and
mistress until it reached the point of familiarity at which Dorothy dubbed
him Tom-Tom.

Frequently Dorothy was startled by remarks made by Thomas, having in them
a strong dash of familiarity; but he always gave to his words a harmless
turn before she could resent them. At times, however, she was not quite
sure of his intention.

Within a week after Thomas's advent to the hall, Dorothy began to suspect
that the new servant looked upon her with eyes of great favor. She
frequently caught him watching her, and at such times his eyes