ess.

Dexie was putting the desk in order when Mr. Hackett returned through the
room, and he stopped for a few minutes' conversation with her while he drew
on his gloves.

"I omitted to tell your mother, Miss Sherwood, that the woman to whom I
referred when I was here before, will be ready to engage with you in about
two weeks. Both she and her husband have excellent references, and I think
they will suit very well. I believe you will find them both very
trustworthy and worth waiting for. Do not hesitate to write to me if any
difficulty should arise," and bidding her a cordial "Good-bye" he left the
house.

Gussie was not pleased over the fact that Dexie had to "waste all the
morning over those old papers," though she had not dared to remonstrate in
Mr. Hackett's hearing, for she stood very much in awe of the lynx-eyed
lawyer, who seemed to read her through and through with his keen grey eyes.

"How much longer are you going to be over those papers, I'd like to know?"
she said, as she heard the front door close behind him. "The idea of you
sitting there, and the dishes not washed yet!"

"Well, Gussie, you might have washed them before this; you have had plenty
of time. I must put away these papers while I have them sorted out; then I
will do what I can in the kitchen. Try to manage till I am done, Gussie; I
won't be long now," and she looked up with a smile, as she tied a package
of MSS. together and laid it away snugly in the drawer.

"You can finish those papers after you see to your work," said Gussie
authoritatively. "You need not think you are going to be allowed to sit
here all the afternoon, for Mr. Hackett left mamma a lot of money, and I
guess we'll see who is going to run the house after this."

"Well, Gussie, that last remark of yours suggests good news," said Dexie,
with a good-humored smile. "I will be delighted, indeed, if someone will
take my place, for I feel sadly in need of a rest."

"Oh! I did not say you were to give up any part of the work! I guess you'll
have to do that, whether you want to or not; but mamma says that I am to be
the housekeeper and do the ordering after this," and there was a triumphant
ring in her tone.

"Well, I was afraid that you would never care to do that, Gussie, and I am
glad to see you are willing to undertake the difficult task; but the woman
that Mr. Hackett is sending us cannot come for two weeks, so we must look
up someone to do the work until she comes. Janet