"Yes, I do know. You dislike anything that's disagreeable. You always
have, from the time when you used to run upstairs to the attic and let
us make all the explanations to pa and ma when something got lost or
broken. But, see here, Daniel Burton, you've GOT to pay attention to
this. It's your son, and your house, and your maid. And you shall
listen to me."

"Well, well, all right, go ahead," sighed the man despairingly,
throwing himself back in his chair. "What is the trouble? What is it
that Susan does that annoys you so?"

"What does she do? What doesn't she do?" retorted Mrs. Colebrook,
dropping herself wearily into a chair facing her brother. "In the
first place, she's the most wretchedly impertinent creature I ever
dreamed of. It's always 'Keith' instead of 'Master Keith,' and I
expect every day it'll be 'Daniel' and 'Nettie' for you and me. She
shows no sort of respect or deference in her manner or language, and--
well, what are you looking like that for?" she interrupted herself
aggrievedly.

"I was only thinking--or rather I was TRYING to think of Susan--and
deference," murmured the man dryly.

"Yes, that's exactly it," Mrs. Colebrook reproved him severely.
"You're laughing. You've always laughed, I suspect, at her outrageous
behavior, and that's why she's so impossible in every way. Why, Daniel
Burton, I've actually heard her refuse--REFUSE to serve you with
something to eat that you'd ordered."