ust be told, by a certain something in
Nell's eyes, which shone there when the _Annie Laurie_ was beating
before a contrary wind; a directness of gaze which indicated a spirit,
not easily quelled, lurking behind the dark-gray eyes.

Mrs. Hubbard instantly realized that this beautiful girl, young as she
was, was compounded of different material to the "old frumps" who had
preceded her, and whom Mrs. Hubbard had easily vanquished, and the old
lady changed her tactics with rather startling promptitude.

She conducted Nell over the large place; the footmen and maidservants
stood up, questionably at first, but respectfully in the end, and Nell
tried to grasp the extent of the responsibility which she had
undertaken.

"I think it all rests with you, Mrs. Hubbard," she said, as she sat in the
housekeeper's room, Mrs. Hubbard standing respectfully--respectfully!--in
front of her. "I am too young and inexperienced to run so large a place
without your help; but I think--I only think--I can do it, if you stand by
me. Will you do so? Yes, I think you will."

She looked up with the smile which had made slaves of all Shorne Mills
in her gray eyes, and Mrs. Hubbard was utterly vanquished.

"If you come to me every morning after breakfast, we can talk matters
over," said Nell, "and can decide between us what is to be done, and
what not to be done; but you must never forget, please, that I know so
little about anything."

And Mrs. Hubbard went back to the servants' hall with her mouth and her
eyes set firmly.

"Now, mind," she said, with an imperial dignity to the curious and
expectant servants, "there's to be no more goings-on from this time
forth. No more coming in by the area gate after eleven, and no more
parties in the servants' 'all when 'is lordship and ladyship is dining
out! An' I'll 'ave the bells answered the first time, an' no waitin'
till they're rung twice or three times, mind! An' if you want to see the
policeman, Mary Jane, you can slip out for five minutes; he don't come
into the house, you understan'!"

Little dreaming of the domestic reformation she had brought about, Nell
went back to her room, and resumed her endeavor to persuade herself that
she was not moving in a dream.

Presently a gong sounded, and, guessing that it rang for lunch, she went
down to the smaller dining room, in which Mrs. Hubbard had told her that
meal was usually served.

The butler and footman were in attendance, but, though covers