he is an impertinent woman!' said Gwen wrathfully.

'I think she is an old dear,' said Elfie merrily. 'You never hear
people speak out their thoughts as she does! I always wonder what she
is going to say next. The other day I was leaving a message for Agatha
at the vicarage, when she came out with Lady Buttonshaw, who had been
calling there. She said good-bye to her, and then added with great
severity: "It is a good thing for you to be without your maid for a
little. I shall not hurry Emma Gray to go to you. A woman might as
well turn into a fashion-block as allow her maid to clothe and unclothe
her as your maid does you! Bestir yourself, my dear. Find out on
which side the buttons on your boots are, and how many hairpins are
necessary for the erection of your pretty hair!" Lady Buttonshaw only
laughed as she walked away. I suppose everybody knows that her bark is
worse than her bite!'

Gwen had a different criticism pronounced upon her departure by old Deb
and Patty. She went to wish them good-bye, and their surprise was
great when she told them where she was going.

'Is it among the wild beasts and heathens? Well, you're a brave young
lady to venture out all alone. But I should be terribly afeared of
losin' my way. Are there signposts all the way?'

'There, Patty, you ain't showin' off your knowledge to talk so! Miss
Gwen will go all the way in a steamer, and her brother will be meetin'
her when she comes to land. It's the steamers are so tryin' to flesh
and blood. Mr. Giles told me all about it when he went to America with
his master. You have to sleep on shelves up the wall, and there be no
washin' your clothes for the whole time you're on the sea, which to a
clean, decent body must be dreadful! And the food is shaken out of you
as fast as you gets it down, and 'tis a marvel that a body gets to the
other side o' the world alive!'

'It's wonderful good of you, miss, to go to take care of your brother!'
said Patty, regarding Gwen with an awe-struck face; 'but you gentlefolk
seem to be hardier to such things than us should be. And then you'll
be able to speak them foreign langwidges. But it's to be hoped the
cannibals won't get hold on you. I've only seen one person come back
from foreign parts alive, and that was Tom Clark, and he was a sailor.
But I reckon there are a few beside him that live to come back!'

'You'll not be marryin' an Indian prince out there, miss?' put in Deb
anxiously.