'She is out too, marm.'

'What? Elizabeth has gone out?'

'Yes marm, you see,' (becoming confidential,) 'the cook and her has
quarrelled like--she neglected to ask her to her little party till late
this evening, and so she got huffy and put on her things and dashed out
of the house,' (at this time I had either an attack of the ague or was
laughing so hard internally that it leaked through.)

'Is Dinah in?'

'Yes marm.'

'Ask her, please, to come here.'

Sabina tripped off with a satisfied air, and five--ten--fifteen minutes
elapsed and no Ellen. I took out my memorandum and quickly wrote down a
few valuable plans on the coming campaign. The clock struck half past
eight, and my sister opened the entry door and listened--the kitchen
door soon shut and somebody came up stairs slowly, with a waiter full of
something.

'Is that you, Dinah?'

'Yes marm.'

'Why didn't you come before?'

'I don't know, mum.'