ames of servants in
this case.

"Did they all die?" she asked with polite sympathy.

"No'm, dey didn't none of 'em die--worse luck."

"I'm afraid you have seen much trouble, Julianna," she continued
sympathetically; "They deserted you, I suppose?"

Julianna laid her long spoon upon the table and stood up with great
gravity. "No'm," she said again, "dey didn't none of 'em desert me on no
occasion. I divorced 'em."

Marital difficulties in bulk were beyond Diantha's comprehension, and
she dropped the subject.

Union House opened in the autumn. The vanished pepper trees were dim
with dust in Orchardina streets as the long rainless summer drew to
a close; but the social atmosphere fairly sparkled with new interest.
Those who had not been away chattered eagerly with those who had, and
both with the incoming tide of winter visitors.

"That girl of Mrs. Porne's has started her housekeeping shop!"

"That 'Miss Bell' has got Mrs. Weatherstone fairly infatuated with her
crazy schemes."

"Do you know that Bell girl has actually taken Union House? Going to
make a Girl's Club of it!"

"Did you ever _hear_ of such a thing! Diantha Bell's really going to try
to run her absurd undertaking right here in Orchardina!"

They did not know that the young captain of industry had deliberately
chosen Orchardina as her starting point on account of the special
conditions. The even climate was favorable to "going out by the day," or
the delivery of meals, the number of wealthy residents gave opportunity
for catering on a large scale; the crowding tourists and health seekers
made a market for all manner of transient service and cooked food, and
the constant lack of sufficient or capable servants forced the people
into an unwilling consideration of any plan of domestic assistance.

In a year's deliberate effort Diantha had acquainted herself with the
rank and file of the town's housemaids and day workers, and picked her
assistants carefully. She had studied the local conditions thoroughly,
and knew her ground. A big faded building that used to be "the Hotel"
in Orchardina's infant days, standing, awkward and dingy on a site too
valuable for a house lot and not yet saleable as a business block, was
the working base.

A half year with Mrs. Weatherstone gave her $500 in cash, besides the
$100 she had saved at Mrs. Porne's; and Mrs. Weatherstone's cheerfully
offered backing gave her credit.

"I hate to let you," said Diantha, "I want t