and out they
rushed, like a trio of merry schoolgirls, drawing their faces into
expressions of abnormal gravity, to march back again solemn and slow.

"Pray be seated. You must be exhausted after your long walk. To what
can I assist you?"

"The breast of a fowl, please, and a portion of ham; a cup of tea and a
few hot muffins-- Goodness me, are you going to talk to the poor
creatures like that? They _will_ be daunted!" replied Cynthia, all in a
breath. She was not at all proper, Betty was glad to see, but as full
of fun as an ordinary commonplace girl. "What are you going to talk to
them about?" she demanded of her hostess, who shook her head in somewhat
helpless fashion, and replied--

"I don't know! I'm hoping for inspiration at the last moment, and
eating is a grand resource! Ply them well with muffins till the ice is
broken--"

At this moment the conversation was interrupted by the sound of an
electric bell, upon hearing which Mrs Vanburgh uttered a sharp
exclamation of dismay, and rushed for the hall. Her two assistants
followed, but even they in their schoolgirl stage could not keep up with
the pace at which she literally flew up the staircase. Her feet seemed
hardly to touch the ground; she sprang up two steps at a time, crying
continuously, "Quick, quick!" until, just as the head of the staircase
was reached, cr-r-r-ur! Came the sounds of ripping seams, and a long
dangle of silk flounce showed underneath her skirt.

"Just my luck!" she cried disconsolately. "It never seems as if I could
get upstairs like anyone else. Now they'll think I'm an untidy wretch,
and it will all be spoiled. What's the use of silk flounces anyway?
I'll never have another--I vow I won't! There! I'll pin it up with a
brooch till they've gone. We must be in the drawing-room ready to
receive. Cynthia, sit over there, and pretend to be reading. Miss
Trevor, you might be casually poking the fire. Whatever we do, we
mustn't alarm the poor dears by looking formal."

"I am a great deal more alarmed of the poor dears than they will be of
me! My sister Jill pretended to swoon at the idea of a room full of
governesses. She said it was more like a nightmare than a piece of real
life."

"Hush!" whispered Mrs Vanburgh tragically. "They come!" for footsteps
were heard ascending the staircase, and the assistants flew to their
posts, while the hostess endeavoured to hum a tune in a light and jaunty
manner.

Another momen