woman's eyes. "But, my dear Miss Dolly,"
she began anxiously, "this is a serious matter. You do not look very
strong. Who does the rest of the cooking? Pardon me for being so bold
to ask; but I am concerned about you."

Therewith Dolly's own eyes became moist; however, it would never do to
take that tone; so she shook off the feeling, and confessed she was the
sole cook in her mother's establishment, and that for her mother's
well-doing it was quite needful that what she eat should be good and
palatable. And Dolly declared she would like to know how to do things,
and be independent.

"You've got the realest sort of independence," said the housekeeper.
"Well, my dear, come, and I'll teach you all you want to know."

There followed now a series of visits to the House, in which Mrs.
Jersey thoroughly fulfilled her promise. In the kind housekeeper's room
Dolly learned not only to make bread and biscuit, and everything else
that can be concocted of flour, but she was taught how to cook a bit of
beefsteak, how to broil a chicken, how to make omelettes and salads and
a number of delicate French dishes; stews and soups and ragouts and no
end of comfortable things. Dolly was in great earnest, therefore lost
not a hint and never forgot a direction; she was quick and keen to
learn; and Mrs. Jersey soon declared laughingly that she believed she
was born to be a cook.

"And it goes great qualities to that, Miss Dolly," she said. "You
needn't take it as low praise. There are people, no doubt, that are
nothing _but_ cooks; that's the fault of something else, I always
believe. Whoever can be a real cook can be something better if he has a
chance and a will."

"It seems to me, it is just common sense, Mrs. Jersey."

"I suppose you are not going to tell me that _that_ grows on every
bush? Yes, common sense has a great deal to do, no doubt; but one must
have another sort of sense; one must know when a thing is right; and
one must be able to tell the moment of time when it is right, and then
one must be decided and quick to take it then and not let it have the
other moment which would make it all wrong. Now, Miss Dolly, I see you
know when to take off an omelette--and yet you couldn't tell me how you
know."

Dolly's learning was indeed by practising with her own hands. One day
it happened that Lady Brierley had come into the housekeeper's room to
see about some arrangements she was making for Mrs. Jersey's comfort.
While she was t