standing straight as a rush,
she kept her eyes on her mistress.

"Do you desire, ma'am, that Miss Marston should have her meals in the
housekeeper's room?" she asked.

"That must be as Miss Marston pleases," answered Hesper. "If she prefer
them in her own, you will see they are properly sent up."

"Very well, ma'am!--Then I wait Miss Marston's orders," said Mrs.
Perkin, and turned to leave the room. But, when her mistress spoke
again, she turned again and stood. It was Mary, however, whom Hesper
addressed.

"Mary," she said, apparently foreboding worse from the tone of the
housekeeper's obedience than from her occurred neglect, "when I am
alone, you shall take your meals with me; and when I have any one with
me, Mrs. Perkin will see that they are sent to your room. We will
settle it so."

"Thank you," said Mary.

"Very well, ma'am," said Mrs. Perkin.

"Send Miss Marston some tea directly," said Hesper.

Scarcely was Mrs. Perkin gone when the brougham was announced. Mary
returned to her room, and in a little while tea, with thin bread and
butter in limited quantity, was brought her. But it was brought by
Jemima, whose face wore a cheerful smile over the tray she carried:
she, at least, did not grudge Mary her superior place in the household.

"Do you think, Jemima," asked Mary, "you could manage to answer my bell
when I ring?"

"I should only be too glad, miss; it would be nothing but a pleasure to
me; and I'd jump to it if I was in the way; but if I was up stairs,
which this house ain't a place to hear bells in, sure I am nobody would
let me know as you was a-ringin'; and if you was to think as how I was
giving of myself airs, like some people not far out of this square, I
should be both sorry and ashamed--an' that's more'n I'd say for my
place to Mrs. Perkin, miss."

"You needn't be afraid of that, Jemima," returned Mary. "If you don't
answer when I ring, I shall know, as well as if you told me, that you
either don't hear or can't come at the moment. I sha'n't be exacting."

"Don't you be afeared to ring, miss; I'll answer your bell as often as
I hear it."

"Could you bring me a loaf? I have had nothing since Mrs. Perkin's
dinner; and this bread and butter is rather too delicately cut," said
Mary.

"Laws, miss, you must be nigh clemmed!" said the girl; and, hastening
away, she soon returned with a loaf, and butter, and a pot of marmalade
sent by the cook, who was only too glad to open a safety-valve