y upstairs, her burdens still in her arms, but supplemented by several
lemons and a bottle of pickles. She took no notice whatever of the new
arrival, but walked straight to her own room, and, placing her treasures
upon her bed, covered them carefully with her bedclothes. At this covert
act poor Mrs. Stone gasped despairingly, and, grasping Miss Preston's arm,
said, in a most tragic whisper: "Marion, Marion, what did I tell you?"

But "Marion" was very much alive to the situation, and, had not a slight
quiver about Toinette's mouth while Mrs. Stone was speaking confirmed her
suspicions, some very audible giggles from the rooms close at hand would
have done so.

Having tucked her ham snugly to bed, Toinette proceeded to tuck herself
there, and, with a sigh as innocent as a tired infant's, she closed those
staring eyes and slipped off to the land of dreams.

"Well, I think the first act is ended," said Miss Preston, with the
funniest of smiles, "and we shall not have the second to-night, at any
rate. But this one was certainly performed by a star," and, stepping to
Toinette's bedside, she quietly drew from beneath the covers the "dry
stores" there sequestered, placed them upon the table, and then smoothed
the clothes carefully about her.

Mrs. Stone began to gather up the articles Miss Preston laid upon the
table, and, consequently, did not see her slyly pinch the rosy cheek
resting upon the pillow nor the flash of intelligence which two big brown
eyes sent back.

They then left Toinette to her slumbers (?), and, after carrying the
pilfered articles back to the housekeeper's pantry, returned to Miss
Preston's room, where Mrs. Stone dropped into the first chair that came
handy. She was as near a nervous collapse as she well could be, and came
very close to losing her temper when Miss Preston seated herself upon her
couch, clasped her hands before her, and laughed as poor Mrs. Stone had
never known her to laugh before.

"Why, Marion! Marion!" she cried. "_Have_ you taken leave of your
senses?"

It was some seconds before Miss Preston could control her voice enough to
reply, and, when she did, it proved the very last straw to complete Mrs.
Stone's discomfiture, for her words were:

"Mehitable Stone, had anyone told me that I was sheltering beneath my
roof-tree such a consummate actress, I should have been the most surprised
woman in Montcliff. Upon my word I never saw anything better done."

"Acting!" exclaimed Mrs