Lord, a plain, brisk woman, her upper lip darkened with hair, her
figure flat and square, like a boy's, had come down for her sister's
tray, and was talking to Susan in the resolutely cheerful tone that
Susan always found annoying, when she was tired.

"The Keiths are off for Europe again, Susan,--dear me! isn't it
lovely for the people who can do those things!" said Miss Lord, who
was governess in a very wealthy household, and liked to talk of the
city's prominent families. "Some day you and I will have to find a
million dollars and run away for a year in Italy! I wonder, Sue,"
the mild banter ceased, "if you could get Mary's dinner? I hate to
go into the kitchen, they're all so busy--"

Susan took the tray, and went through the swinging door, and into
the kitchen. Two or three forms were flitting about in the steam and
smoke and flickering gas-light, water was running, gravy hissing on
the stove; Alice, the one poor servant the establishment boasted,
was attempting to lift a pile of hot plates with an insufficient
cloth. Susan filled her tray silently.

"Anything I can do, Mary Lou?"

"Just get out of the WAY, lovey--that's about all--I salted that
once, Ma. If you don't want that table, Sue--and shut the door,
dear! The smoke--"

Susan was glad to get out of the kitchen, and in a moment Mrs.
Lancaster and Mary Lou came into the dining-room, too, and Alice
rang the dinner bell. Instantly the boarders streamed downstairs,
found their places with a general murmuring of mild little