point a wail from above-
stairs showed that Master Perkins had awakened, and the ladies,
considerate of Bessie's maternal feelings, promptly rose to take
their leave, and in ten minutes she and Thaddeus were alone.

"What on earth is the story of Grimmins, Thaddeus?" she asked, as
the door closed upon the departing guests.

Thaddeus threw himself wearily down upon the sofa and explained. He
told her all he had said about the butler and the cook.

"That's the story of Grimmins," he said, when he had finished.

"Oh, dear me, dear me!" cried Bessie, "you told the men that, and
I--I, Thaddeus, told the women the truth. Why, it's--it's awful.
You'll never hear the end of it."

"Well, now that they know the truth, Bess," Thaddeus said, "suppose
you let me into the secret. What on earth is the meaning of all
this--two butlers, silver platters, dinner fit for the gods, and
all?"

"It's all because of the tipsy-cake," said Bessie.

"The what?" asked Thaddeus, sitting up and gazing at his wife as if
he questioned her sanity.

"The tipsy-cake," she repeated. "I gave Ellen the bottle of brandy
you gave me for the tipsy-cake, and--and she drank half of it."

"And the other half?"

"Mary drank that. They got word this morning that their brother was
very ill, and it upset them so I don't believe they knew what they
were doing; but at one o'clock, when I went down to lunch, there was
no lunch ready, and when I descended into the kitchen to find out
why, I found that the fire had gone out, and both girls were--both
girls were asleep on the cellar floor. They're there yet--locked
in; and all through dinner I was afraid they might come to, and--
make a rumpus."

"And the dinner?" said Thaddeus, a light breaking through into his
troubled mind.

"I telegraphed to New York to Partinelli at once, telling him to
serve a dinner for eight here to-night, supplying service, cook,
dinner, and everything, and at four o'clock these men arrived and
took possession. It was the only thing I could do, Thad, wasn't
it?"

"It was, Bess," said Thaddeus, gravely. "It was great; but--by
Jove, I wish I'd known, because--Did you really tell the ladies the
truth about it?"

"Yes, I did," said Bessie. "They were so full of praises for
everything that I didn't think it was fair for me to take all the
credit of it, so I told them the whole thing."

"That was right, too," said Thaddeus; "but those fellows will never
let me hear the end