intricacies of her toilet. "But it's too annoying," she went on,
in the pauses of Lizzie's deft ministrations. "What did they say
to you, Lizzie--did they give any reason? It isn't as if they
were new to the country like you. They'd been with Mr. Fleming for
some time, though not as long as Billy."

"Oh, yes, Miss Neily--they had reasons you could choke a goat with,"
said Lizzie viciously as she arranged Miss Cornelia's transformation.
"Cook was the first of them--she was up late--I think they'd been
talking it over together. She comes into the kitchen with her hat
on and her bag in her hand. 'Good morning,' says I, pleasant enough,
'you've got your hat on,' says I. 'I'm leaving,' says she. 'Leaving,
are you?' says I. 'Leaving,' says she. 'My sister has twins,'
says she. 'I just got word--I must go to her right away.' 'What?'
says I, all struck in a heap. 'Twins,' says she, 'you've heard of
such things as twins.' 'That I have,' says I, 'and I know a lie on
a face when I see it, too.'"

"Lizzie!"

"Well, it made me sick at heart, Miss Neily. Her with her hat and
her bag and her talk about twins--and no consideration for you.
Well, I'll go on. 'You're a clever woman, aren't you?' says she
--the impudence! 'I can see through a millstone as far as most,'
says I--I wouldn't put up with her sauce. 'Well!' says she, 'you
can see that Annie the housemaid's leaving, too.' 'Has her sister
got twins as well?' says I and looked at her. 'No,' says she as
bold as brass, 'but Annie's got a pain in her side and she's feared
it's appendycitis--so she's leaving to go back to her family.'
'Oh,' says I, 'and what about Miss Van Gorder?' 'I'm sorry for