Captain Jim

n the closed carriage waited for them, with the brown cobs pawing the ground impatiently. General Somers' chauffeur had gone with his master, and so far they had not succeeded in fin

rah was wont to say that the only vehicle capable of accommodating her three long men-folk comfortably was an omnibus. The fog was lifting as they rolled smoothly up the long avenue; and just as they came within sight of the house a gleam of pale sunlight found i

of Sheba entering her ancestral halls?" whisp

d Norah. "I suppose I'll get used to it in time,

eted them r

ey are all practically ready, of course. My niece, miss, thoug

st rooms-the sunniest

the Tired People,

esent," said her father, laughing. "So if you have a fanc

al visions of the sudden "turning-out" of rooms should weary guests arr

r to say she was the cook, but perhaps I made a mistake

ss de

, mi

ook," said Norah. "An

ki

se has arr

come," said Norah. "A

miss, asked for

esent," said Norah, fee

blank. "I-I am afraid, miss,

comes," said Mr. Linton. "Cheer up

f necessary," said Wally ch

shuddere

ly's uniform; it was easy to see him quailing in spirit before the vision of an

en tucked into a corner by the architect, as an afterthought. It was curiously shaped, with a quaint little nook for the bed, and had a big window furnished with a low cushioned seat, wide enough for any one to curl up with a book. Mr. Linton and the boys selecte

ery pink and shiny as to complexion. Her hair was strained back f

said Mr. Li

" said Sar

ntil we-er-until the staff is complete," said her empl

ir, as it is only tempo

said Mr. Lint

help you with the ho

ra

more wooden

ss, I'm sure,"

wen

ke you feel a w

Mr. Linton fervently. "I didn't guess what

mbled it. She was a tall, stout woman, dressed in an overall several sizes too small for her. The overall was rose-coloured, and Miss de

ibly manage with these saucepans"-sweeping a scornful hand towards an array which seemed to the hapless Lintons to err only on the side

to Norah's lips. But she prudent

inton. "Why, I really

"Oh-there is the h

e housekeeper?

evident that he considered this a point in the abse

You must remember, Mr. Linton, that I told you when

rselves have not been half an hour in the house, and that we must have time

Lisle

customed to," she said

kitche

maid out of nothing," s

in a day or two; I ha

in accents of horror. "My dear sir, d

said Norah, speaking for the firs

But you are not sure of obtaini

rother and Mr. Meadows and I can do anything. There can't be such an awful lot of work!" She s

!" she gasped. "Your brother! And the o

work, and the next, of too much help," said

y position to consider. There are duties which belong to it, and other duties which do not.

r pardon, sir." He was deferential again-save for the eye with which he glared upon Miss de Lisle. "I think, perhaps,

Norah-rather to Norah's disappointment. She was beginning to feel w

she said with conviction, as

er father. "But isn't

ra

," said Norah with a wi

r was struggling with a stout iron trunk. The passeng

. "Do you feel equal to her, Norah?" He fled,

g," Norah sa

he newcomer, with severity

dismay. Her world seemed suddenly full of important upper servants, with no one to wait

zed at her with a

ng under that fish-like glare. "You see, we've only just come. I'l

aid; "it's the house

ousekeeper do? She won

Lisle, w

so correct a butler, Norah felt that he might have patted her head. "Now look, mis

owed in her father's wake, leaving the butler to advance

ll her men-folk were g

of the storm!" said Norah, laughing. "Isn't it all t

too certain," respond

Norah? Was she anythi

woman! She ought to

's any nicer," said Norah. "She's very skinny and vinega

the encounter should be worth seeing," rem

Wally gleefully. "We haven't had much war yet, h

e. "But it's bound to come, I should think, and then I shall be called in as

n a moment with a batter

happy!" said

been so comfortable since I was in Ireland. It's one of the horrors of war

saw it photographed!" said Jim soothingly. "And it hasn't had

warn you here and now that you needn't expect me to appear in a top-hat. However, there's no need to face these

looked out on a trim stretch of grass. At one side there was actually a little verandah! a sight so unusual i

with bunks built against the wall, as in a ship's cabin: there was a little dining-room, plainly furnished, and a big sitting-room that took up the whole width of the bui

I don't know that I wouldn't rather live here than i

But you can't, because we want it for the Hunts.

'll get the housekeeper to come down and make sure that i

. Hunt and the babies," said Norah, pirouettin

ternoon-the old coachman was plainly delighted at the absence of a chauffeur,

idn't care for them-an infantry gent he must have been-and it was always the motor for 'im

" Norah caressed Ki

won't you, this season?

hey was, of course, but

lady-Mrs. Ainslie; h

'ounds thes

we, Dad?" Norah's face

you will. What about the othe

ow; the vet. sent me word yesterday that 'is shoulder's all right. Strained it a bit, 'e did. Of course they ain't made hunters, like Killaloe; but they're quick and clever, and once you know

nch waited in the morning-room; there was a pleasant sparkle of silver and glass on

looking at the fragments which remained of a superlative apple-pie. "Let's hope that Mrs. Moroney w

curly head. "And the other servants will all hate her because she thinks the

y. "Brownie could beat that pie

ympathy on every

Atkins-would like to

so would Mis

his heels, breathing th

our housekeeper evidently does not understand my position. She has had the

isn't it your profess

with wrath. Wally's voice fe

"It's-it's a regular poem of a pie!" Whereat Jim choked in his turn, and

ng countenance cleared

nner that was

n art," she said. "Before the war I cou

sted Wally. "It was a dream. I say,

aid the cook-lady.

r a pikelet," said Wal

iss de Lisle if she'

human beam in the cook-lady's eye was not to be neglected. "We haven't had any for ages." She cast about

ok-lady with pride. "But for the war

d Jim. "I say, Norah, you'll hav

ther you awfully to show me some day how to

le graciously. "And would you

wouldn't be to

open for the cook-lady as she m

the housekeepe

. The door closed; behind it they could he

u deserve a medal! But are we always to lick th

evel," said Jim. "But

er again. Talk to her

re here to run the hous

ra

o the roof of my mouth when these militant females tackle me. And if you saw Mrs. Atkins you wo

ed less fierce than the cook-lady, although by no stre

called Cook. Which if she is the cook, why not be called so? And going off to her bedroom with her dinner, no one downstairs being good enough to eat with her. I must say it isn't what I'm used to, and me l

unusual things, but apparently there is no doubt that she can do her work. I hope to have more maids in a f

sir," replied the hou

cook is to have a se

ulated her employer. "It will have to be ma