means," moaned Lizzie. "I tell you there's going to be a death,
sure!"

"There certainly will be if you don't keep quiet," said her
mistress acidly. "Lock the billiard-room windows and go to bed."

But this was the last straw for Lizzie. A picture of the two
long, dark flights of stairs up which she had to pass to reach her
bedchamber rose before her--and she spoke her mind.

"I am not going to bed!" she said wildly. "I'm going to pack up
tomorrow and leave this house." That such a threat would never be
carried out while she lived made little difference to her--she
was beyond the need of Truth's consolations. "I asked you on my
bended knees not to take this place two miles from a railroad,"
she went on heatedly. "For mercy's sake, Miss Neily, let's go
back to the city before it's too late!"

Miss Cornelia was inflexible.

"I'm not going. You can make up your mind to that. I'm going to
find out what's wrong with this place if it takes all summer. I
came out to the country for a rest and I'm going to get it."

"You'll get your heavenly rest!" mourned Lizzie, giving it up. She
looked pitifully at her mistress's face for a sign that the latter
might be weakening--but no such sign came. Instead, Miss Cornelia
seemed to grow more determined.

"Besides," she said, suddenly deciding to share the secret she had