frequently happened. Would she go? Hepsey was trying to decide,
when there was a light, rapid step on the stairs, a moment's
hesitation in the hall, and Miss Thorne came into the
dining-room.

"Good morning, Hepsey," she said, cheerily; "am I late?"

"Yes'm. It's goin' on eight, and Miss Hathaway allers has
breakfast at half past six."

"How ghastly," Ruth thought. "I should have told you," she said,
"I will have mine at eight."

"Yes'm," replied Hepsey, apparently unmoved. "What time do you
want dinner?"

"At six o'clock--luncheon at half past one."

Hepsey was puzzled, but in a few moments she understood that
dinner was to be served at night and supper at midday. Breakfast
had already been moved forward an hour and a half, and stranger
things might happen at any minute.

Ruth had several other reforms in mind, but deemed it best to
wait. After breakfast, she remembered the lamp in the window and
went up to put it out.

It was still burning when she reached it, though the oil was
almost gone, and, placing it by the stairway, that she might not
forget to have it filled, she determined to explore the attic to