ys, what a boon we
should grant our neighbours!

And as the duchess sat quietly, with Dekko the parrot fast asleep upon
the back of her chair, as becomes a well-conducted bird, Fate crept up
behind and dropped the black thread of hate and the purple thread of
grief amongst the others she had tossed into the old lady's lap.

She suddenly sat upright with a shiver.

Qatim the Ethiopian lifted the body of a woman from out the gutter, and
the messenger from the Oasis of Khargegh strode through the gateway of
the hotel and kicked the somnolent _ghafir_ or watchman, who coughed
discreetly behind the sleeping night-porter's back.

And when Hobson, some time later, entered the bedroom with her grace's
early cup of tea, which included an egg and fruit, she said nothing of
the terrible story which had run like wildfire through the servants'
quarters and had turned her cold with horror.

Hobson was an autocrat in her own domain and ruled with a cast-iron rod.

"Don't you utter one word of this disgusting tale to her grace," she
had said fiercely as she had sailed through the door of the
ladies-maids' room, held meekly open for her by one of the under-maids,
who had been caught gossiping, "or back you go to England, both of
you." She turned back into the room and rattled the tray to emphasise
her orders. "I won't have my lady troubled with it, d'you hear?
Common circus trash! what has it got to do with you, I should like to
know, if she's been killed or not? That's what they all come to, as
you'll find out, if you don't take care."

She had swept from the room leaving the plump, rosy-cheeked Devonshire
lasses trembling.

Many, many years ago the duchess had taken the bright, intelligent
daughter of a Devonshire farmer on the estate into her service; trained
her and promoted her as her seniors in the lady's service had married
or been pensioned off, until she had finally risen to the post of head
maid and confidential companion.

Love and marriage had passed Maria Hobson by, but she adored her
mistress and constituted herself as dragon, sheep-dog and buffer, so as
to save her from unpleasantness or pain; at the same time issuing
orders as to health and hours which her grace usually meekly
obeyed--though you would not have taken a bet upon it with any feeling
of security.

It is curious, the ascendancy which such a type of maid can obtain over
a strong-willed mistress. Think of Abigail Hill and the influence she
had