want to see a carriage for two weeks.'

"I have not time to speak of Anita's delight at everything she saw. She
was amazed that plain people such as I had told her owned the house
should have lived in such a simple, natural way. 'Everything exactly
suits everything else,' she said. 'And it is all so cheap and plain.
There is absolutely nothing that does not suit a cot.' She was wild with
excitement, and ran about like a girl; and when I followed her into the
garden, which I had not seen, I found her in one of the box-bordered
paths, clapping her hands. The place was indeed very pretty, filled with
old-fashioned flowers and herbs and hop-poles, and all sorts of country
plants and blossoms.

"At last we returned to the house. 'Now, Anita,' said I, 'we are here in
our little cot--'

"'Where we are going to be as happy as two kittens,' she interrupted.

"'And as I want everything to suit you,' I continued, 'I am going to
leave the whole matter of the domestic arrangements in your hands. You
have seen the house, and you will know what will be necessary to do.
Mention what servants you want, and I will send for them.'

"'First tell me,' said Anita, 'what you did with the people who were
here? You said there were three of them.'

"I could not very well answer this question, for I did not know exactly
what Baxter had done with them. I was inclined to think, however, that
he had sent them to the hotel until arrangements could be made for them
to go somewhere else. But I was able to assure Anita that they had gone
away.

"'Good,' said she. 'I have been thinking about them, and I was afraid
they might find some reason or other to stay about the place, and that
would interfere with my plans. And now I will tell you what servants I
want. I don't want any. I am going to do the work of this house myself.
Now don't open your mouth so wide. There is nothing to frighten you in
what I have said. I am thirty-two years old, and although I am not very
large, I am perfectly strong and healthy, and I cannot imagine anything
in this world that would give me more pleasure than to live in this cot
with you for two weeks, and to cook our meals and do everything that is
necessary to be done. There are thousands and hundreds of thousands of
women who do all that and are just as happy as they can be. That is the
kind of happiness I have never had, and I want it now.'

"I sat upright in my slippery horsehair chair and spoke no word. Surely
An