"I don't care to discuss it, Justine," the mistress said pleasantly;
"just do as I ask you, if you please, and we'll settle everything at
the end of the month. You shall not be held responsible, I assure
you."

She went out of the kitchen, and the next morning had a pleasant
half hour in the big grocery, and left a large order.

"Just a little kitchen misunderstanding," she told the affable Mr.
Lewis, "but when one is ill--However, I am rapidly getting the reins
back into my own hands now."

After that, Mrs. Salisbury ordered in person, or by telephone, every
day, and Justine's responsibilities were confined to the meat market
and greengrocer. Everything went along very smoothly until the end
of the month, when Justine submitted her usual weekly account and a
bill from Lewis & Sons which was some three times larger in amount
than was the margin of money supposed to pay it.

This was annoying. Mrs. Salisbury could not very well rebuke her,
nor could she pay the bill out of her own purse. She determined
to put it aside until her husband seemed in a mood for financial
advances, and, wrapping it firmly about the inadequate notes and
silver given her by Justine, she shut it in a desk drawer. There the
bill remained, although the money was taken out for one thing or
another; change that must be made, a small bill that must be paid at
the door.

Another fortnight went by, and Lewis & Sons submitted another