elight of some one with whom to
talk things over, the source of life and movement in the house; all this
far outweighed the necessity of having to plan for variety in the little
dinners.

"I really shall starve to death if this thing does on," Mrs. Maybury had
meanwhile said to herself. "It isn't that I care so much for what I have
to eat; but I really can't eat enough here to keep me alive. If I went
out as Julia does, walking and talking all over town, I daresay I could
get up the same sort of appetite for sole-leather. But I haven't the
heart for it. I can't do it. I have to sit at home and haven't any
relish for anything. I really will see if Allida can't start something
different." But Allida could not make bricks without straw; she could
only prepare what Mrs. Cairnes provided, and as Mrs. Cairnes had never
had a servant before, she looked on the whole tribe of them as marauders
and natural enemies, and doled out everything from a locked store-room
at so much a head. "Well," sighed Mrs. Maybury, "perhaps I shall get
used to it." From which it will be seen that Julia's efforts after all
were not particularly successful. But if Mrs. Cairnes had been lonely
before Mrs. Maybury came, Mrs. Maybury was intolerably lonely, having
come; the greater part of the time, Allida being in the kitchen, or out
herself, and no one in the house but the sunshine, the cat, and the
bird; and she detested cats, and had a shudder if one touched her.
However, this was Julia's cat, this great black and white evil spirit,
looking like an imp of darkness; she would be kind to it if it didn't
touch her. But if it touched her--she shivered at the thought--she
couldn't answer for the consequences. Julia was so good in taking her
into her house, and listening to her woes, and trying to make her
comfortable,--only if this monster tried to kill her bird,--Mrs.
Maybury, sitting by herself, wept at the thought. How early it was dark
now, too! She didn't see what kept Julia so,--really she was doing too
much at her age. She hinted that gently to Julia when Mrs. Cairnes did
return. And Mrs. Cairnes could not quite have told what it was that was
so unpleasant in the remark. "My age," she said, laughing. "Why, I am as
young as ever I was, and as full of life. I could start on an exploring
expedition to Africa, to-morrow!" But she began to experience a novel
sense of bondage,--she who had all her life been responsible to no one.
And presently, whenever s