pen this door at once," she said, as she found it locked. "Mamma says you
are to go to the kitchen and finish the work, and if you make any more fuss
about it you will be sorry for it."

No answer, for Dexie had swiftly turned the contents of her trunk out on
the floor, in one promiscuous heap, and was repacking it with a swift and
practised hand.

"Do you hear what I say, Dexter, or shall I repeat it?"

"I have resigned my place in the kitchen, Gussie," came the reply, "and do
not intend to enter it again; besides, I have accepted a better situation
since I saw you downstairs. I am packing my trunk to leave the house, so
you see I cannot be disturbed."

Gussie stood dumb with astonishment at this unexpected announcement, but of
course it could not be true!

"Oh! never mind your high tragedy airs just now; open the door at once."

"I fancy that the tragedy part of this performance will be enacted by
yourself, Gussie," was the reply. "I shall not open the door till I get my
clothes packed; if you choose to wait till I am done, pray do so. I will
not be any longer than I can help, as I intend to take the first train for
the city."

Gussie applied her eye to the keyhole, and the limited view she had of the
room was enough to convince her that Dexie was certainly packing her trunk,
and she flew to her mother's room with the news.

Mrs. Sherwood could not believe it. Leave the house just when they needed
her the most! Impossible! She sent Gussie back to the door with a
peremptory message for Dexie to come to her room immediately.

"Tell mamma I will be there in a few minutes. I am almost through packing,
and if I were you, Gussie, I would go at once and see if that Robinson girl
will come and stay with you till the new cook arrives; and do have a care
how you speak to her, for mamma's sake. Do not imagine that something will
happen to prevent me going away, for that is a settled fact!"

Gussie hastened back to her mother in alarm.

"She is really going, mamma, and says she won't come out of her room until
she gets her trunk packed. Oh! what shall we do with no one in the house to
do a thing for us! I did not mean to vex her when I spoke to her as I did,"
bursting into tears.

"So it is your fault that, she is going! Are my troubles not heavy enough
that you drive the only help I have away from me? What will become of us if
Dexie leaves us, for you are as useless as you are extravagant!" And the
mother scolded an