t's real work--that's a real privilege!"

And after a week or two Miss Clapp went joyously back to her real work
with a generous check for her children's ward in her pocket. She kissed
Timothy good-by with the first tenderness she had shown.

"Didn't she make you feel like an ant in an anthill?" asked Belle,
cheerfully watching the departing carriage. "She really didn't take no
interest in Timothy because there wasn't a hundred of him!"

There was a peaceful interval after this, while Molly diligently
advertised for "A competent nurse. One child only. Good salary. Small
family in country."

No nurse, competent or incompetent, replied. Then came the January
morning when Belle casually remarked: "Stupid! You never wound it!" to
the master of the house, who was attempting to start a stopped clock.
This was too much! Mrs. Tressady immediately wrote the letter that
engaged Miss Carter, a highly qualified and high-priced nursery
governess who had been recommended by a friend.

Miss Carter, a rosy, strong, pleasant girl, appeared two days later in
a driving rain and immediately "took hold." She was talkative, assured
in manner, neat in appearance, entirely competent. She drove poor Belle
to frenzy with her supervision of Timothy's trays, baths and clothes,
amusements and sleeping arrangements. Timmy liked her, which was point
one in her favor. Point two was that she liked to have her meals alone,
liked to disappear with a book, could amuse herself for hours in her
own room.

The Tressadys, in the privacy of their own room, began to say to each
other: "I like her--she'll do!"

"She's very complacent," Molly would say with a sigh.

"But it's nothing to the way Belle effervesces all over the place!"

"Oh, I suppose she is simply trying to make a good impression--that's
all." And Mrs. Tressady began to cast about in her mind for just the
words in which to tell Belle that--really--four servants were not
needed at the ranch. Belle was so sulky in these days and so rude to
the new-comer that Molly knew she would have no trouble in finding good
reason for the dismissal.

"Are we going to keep her?" Belle asked scornfully one morning--to
which her mistress answered sharply:

"Belle, kindly do not shout so when you come into my room. Do you see
that I am writing?"

"Gee whiz!" said Belle, sorrowfully, as she went out, and she visibly
drooped all day.

It was decided that as soon as the Tressadys' San Francisco visit was