ep voice in the
doorway.

Every one jumped. It was Miss de Lisle, in her skimpy red
overall--rather more flushed than usual, and a little embarrassed.

"I hope you don't mind," she said. "I heard voices--and I didn't
think any one lived here. I knocked, but you were all so busy you
didn't hear me."

"So busy talking, you mean," laughed Wally. "Terrible chatterboxes,
Jim and Norah; they never get any work done." A blacklead brush
hurtled across the room: he caught it neatly and returned it to the
owner.

"But you're working terribly hard," said the cook-lady, in
bewilderment. "Is any one going to live here?"

Norah explained briefly. Miss de Lisle listened with interest,
nodding her head from time to time.

"It's a beautiful idea," she said at length. "Fancy now, you rescuing
those poor little children and their father and mother! It makes me
feel quite sentimental. Most cooks are sentimental, you know: it's
such a--a warm occupation," she added vaguely. "When I'm cooking
something that requires particular care I always find myself crooning
a love song!" At which Wally collapsed into such a hopeless giggle
that Jim and Norah, in little better case themselves, looked at him in
horror, expecting to see him annihilated. To their relief, Miss de
Lisle grinned cheerfully.

"Oh, yes, you may laugh!" she said--whereupon they all did. "I know I
don't look sentimental. Perhaps it's just as well; nobody would want
a cook with golden hair and languishing blue eyes. And I do cook so
much better than I sing! Now I'm going to help. What can I do?"

"Indeed, you're not," said Norah. "Thanks ever so, Miss de Lisle, but
we can manage quite well."

"Now, you're thinking of what I said the other day," said Miss de
Lisle disgustedly. "I know I did say my province was cooking, and
nothing else. But if you knew the places I've struck. Dear me, there
was one place where the footman chucked me under the chin!"

It was too much for the others. They sat down on the floor and
shrieked in unison.

"Yes, I know it's funny," said Miss de Lisle. "I howled myself, after
it was all over. But I don't think the footman ever chucked any one
under the chin again. I settled him!" There was a reminiscent gleam
in her eye: Norah felt a flash of sympathy for the hapless footman.

"Then there was another house--that was a duke's--where the butler
expected me to walk out with him. That's the worst of it: if you
behave