"Another half-hour. I suppose he won't start before the half-hour."

"Miss," said the maid, knocking at the door, "Mr. Brookes wants to
know if you are coming down to breakfast."

"Say that we are not nearly ready; that there's no use waiting for
us."

"I think I had better go back to my room," said Sally.

"I think you had. I wish you wouldn't bring that horrid little dog
into my room. She made a mess here the other day."

"That I am sure she didn't. Flossie is the cleanest dog in the world."

"Clean or unclean, I would rather not have her in my room. There she
is trying to drink out of my jug. Get away, you little beast!"

Sally caught up her dog, and marched out of the room, slamming the
door after her.

"At last I have got rid of her," thought Maggie, and she rolled and
pinned up the last plait of her black hair, but she did not go down to
breakfast until the wheels grated on the gravel and the carriage was
heard moving away. Then she begged Grace to tell her what her father
had said.

"He said his children were persecuting him, that he had not had an
hour's peace since their poor mother died."