e from her young
mistress, the good girl began to be anxious for fear Miss Sarah should be
late for dinner and thereby 'upset' Mr Clay, a thing to be avoided. So
she came in, and, standing at the door, coughed. She had to do this two
or three times before Sarah woke up to the fact of her presence, which
she did with a start. 'Oh Naomi, what is it?' she asked.

'Dinner, Miss Sarah,' said Naomi.

'Dinner?' Sarah started up in real fright this time. 'Has the gong gone?
I never heard it,' she cried.

'No, miss, not yet, but it soon will,' said Naomi, bustling about to get
Sarah ready.

'Then what do you mean by telling me such a story? I've a good mind not
to get ready at all,' said Sarah irritably and rather foolishly.

'Whatever would be the good of that, Miss Sarah, upsetting of Mr Clay for
nothing, let alone that I never told no story? You asked me what I came
for--at least, so I understood it--and I answered you, "Dinner," and
that's what I am here for. Oh, do make haste, Miss Sarah! You could keep
on that white skirt, and just slip on this pretty bodice; master won't
never notice. There's the gong! Oh dear, oh dear!' said Naomi, getting
quite flustered in her anxiety to get Sarah ready in time.

'You needn't be in such a state, Naomi; we are not all slaves or
prisoners that we have to be ready to a minute,' observed Sarah coolly,
and taking extra long instead of hurrying.

'No, Miss Sarah; but there's no call to do things a purpose to annoy any
one. Now, there's Miss Horatia going down as pleasant as can be,'
protested Naomi.

'You see we can't all be as pleasant as Miss Horatia, Naomi,' remarked
Sarah a little bitterly.

'You can be a deal pleasanter than her. Why, a word or a smile from you
goes further than all Miss Horatia's smiles, if only you'd give yourself
the trouble. Not that I'm saying a word against Miss Cunningham, for
there's no denying she makes the house a different place; and so they all
say, from the master downwards,' observed Naomi, her loyalty to her young
mistress struggling with her desire to be just and truthful.

'How does she do it, Naomi? I can't make it out. The house has been much
more comfortable since she came, and yet she doesn't do anything but
laugh, and you know any fool can laugh,' said Sarah, as she laughed
herself and ran off after Horatia.

'Miss Horatia's no fool, though,' observed Naomi, as she folded up and
arranged Sarah's clothes.

Before dinner was half-over,