dy. What's the hour, please,
Miss Winstead? How are you, Anne; is your toothache better?"

"I have not had any toothache to mention since you left, Miss Sibyl."

"I am glad to hear that. You used to suffer awful pain, didn't you?
Did you go to Mr. Robbs, the dentist, and did he put your head between
his knees and tug and tug to get the tooth out? That's the way Nurse's
teeth were taken out when she was a little girl. She told me all about
it. Did Mr. Robbs pull your tooth out that way, Anne?"

"No, Miss, the tooth is better and in my head, I'm thankful to say."

"And how is cook? How are her sneezing fits?"

"All the servants are very well, I thank you, Miss."

"Don't make any more enquiries now, Sibyl, sit down and begin your
tea," said her governess.

Sibyl made an effort to suppress the words which were bubbling to her
lips. Anne had reached the door, when she burst out with--

"I do just want to ask one more question. How is Watson, Anne, and how
is his sweetheart? Has she been kinder to him lately?"

"Sibyl, I refuse to allow you to ask any further questions,"
interrupted Miss Winstead. She was so nervous and perplexed at the
task before her that she was glad even to be able to find fault with
the child. It was really reprehensible of any child to take an
interest in Watson's sweetheart.

Anne, smiling however, and feeling also inclined to cry, left the
room. She ran down to the servants' hall.

"Of all the blessed angel children, Miss Sibyl beats 'em," she cried.
"Not one of us has she forgot; dear lamb, even to my tooth and your
sneezing fits, cook; and Watson, most special did she inquire for Mary
Porter, the girl you're a-keeping company with. It's wonderful what a
tender heart she do have."

"That she have truly," said the cook, "and I'll make her some more
queen-cakes to-morrow, and ice them for her, that I will. It's but to
look at her to see how loving she is," continued the good woman. "How
she'll live without the master beats me. The missus ain't worthy of
her."

This remark was followed by a sort of groan which proceeded from each
servant's mouth. It was evident that Mrs. Ogilvie was not popular in
the servants' hall.

Sibyl meanwhile was enjoying her tea.

"It's nearly five o'clock," she said, "father is sure to be in at six,
don't you think so, Miss Winstead?"

"He often doesn't come home till seven," answered Miss Winstead in a
guilty voice, her hand shaking as she raised the teapo