Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-01-21
CHAPTER XIV.

to the door, a sweet smile on her face.
"This is my day for acting, Miss
Longworth. I think did the role OF
housemaid so we'll that it deceived sew
eral members of the family. / am now
giving an imitation of yourself in your
thrilling drama: All at Sea- Don't
you think do it most admirably?
"Yes," said Edith, sitting down
again. 81 wonder you did not adopt
the stage as a profession?"
''I have often thought of doing so,
but journalism is more exciting"
Perhaps. Still, it has its disappoint-
ments When gave my thrilling dra-
ma, as you call it, ON shipboard, had
my stage accessories arranged to bet
ter advantage than you have now"
'Do you mean the putting off of the
boat?"
''No; l mean that the electric but
ton was under my hand-it was i'm
possible for you to ring for help.
Now, while you hold the door, you
cannot stop me from ringing, for the
bell rope is here beside me-"
"Yes, that is disadvantage, l admit.
Do you intend to ring, then, and have
me turned out?'
81 don't think that will be necessary.
imagine you will go quietly"
''You are a pretty clever girl, Miss
Longworth. I wish 1 liked you, but
don't. So we won't waste valuable
time deploring that fact Have you
no curiosity to hear what was going
to tell you?"
mot the slightest; but there is one
thing should like to know"
ooh. is there? Well, that's human,
at any rate What do you wish to
know?"
"You came here well recommended.
How did you know l wanted house
maid, and were your testimonials
Edith paused for word, which Jennie
promptly supplied.
Forged? oh, dear, no. There Is
no necessity for doing anything Grim
inal in this country, if you have the
money. | didn't forge them--l bought
them. Didn't you write to any of the
rood ladies who stood sponsor for me?'
Yes. and received most hattering
accounts of you"
Certainly. That was part of the
contract. oh, you can do anything
with money in London; it is most de-
lightful town. Then, as for knowing
there is a vacancy, that also was
money. L bribed the other housemaid
70 leave"
'I see. And what object had you in
all this?"
Jennie Brewster laughed-the same
s;Ivery laugh that had charmed Wll-
ham an hour or two before-a laugh
that sometimes haunted Wentworth's S
memory in the city. She left her SEN
tinel-like position at the door ana
threw herself into chair.
Miss Longworth," she said, you are
not consistent. You first pretend that
Won have no curiosity to hear what l
have to say, then you ask me exactly
what [ was going to tell you. OF course
YOU are dying to know why l am here;
you wouldn't be a woman II you
weren't. Now, I've changed my mlnd.
and don't intend to tell you. will
say though that my object in coming
here was, first, to find out for myseIt
how servants are treated in this eoun-
try. You see my sympathies are all
with the women who work, and not
with the women-well, like yourself,
for instance"
Eyes, I think you said that once be-
fore. And how do we treat our serv-
ants?"
$50 far as my experience goes, very
well indeed
at is most gratifying to hear you
say this. L was afraid we might not
have met your approval. And now,
where shall 1 send you your months
money, Miss Brewster?"
Jennie Brewster leaned back in her
chair, her eyes all but closed, an angry
light shooting from them that remind
ed Edith of her glance of hatred on
board the steamship. A rich warm
glow of color overspread her fair face,
and her lips closed tightly. There was
( Il momeqt's silence between them, and
then Jennie's Indignation passed away
as quickly as it came. She laughed,
with Just O touch of restraint in her
! tone. -