The Yale expositor., 1915-09-02


on her sympathies so that Jane really
believed her"
Didn't give her enough to eat?" re-
peated Helen, dazed. And she circu-
lated that story all through the
house?"
Pm sure | don't know" with a
supercilious shrug. But, really, Mrs.
Curtis, since servants are SO gossipy,
think it would be just as well If
your maid and Jane were not so
friendly"
So that was what Mrs Gordon had
been leading up to! Helen's face
famed
I'm very glad you've mentioned
this. Mrs. Gordon. I've just had a
talk with Anna about this very thing.
l assure you it was quite as annoy
ing for me TO have your girl in my
kitchen as it was for you TO have
Emma in yours And | shall try to
see that Anna has enough food" sar-
castically, so your maid will not feel
obliged to feed her.
"Oh. l hope, Mrs. Curtis, you're not
going to be offended! OF course l
didn't believe a thing Emma said.
You know how servants will gossip"
yet it seems that you've listened
to their gossip
IF I'd thought you'd have taken IL
this way" Mrs Gordon rose haughtily,
Il certainly would not have told you"
81 don't know what you mean by
this way" Helen rose quite as
haughtily and followed her to the
door. I'm simply assuring you that
my new maid will not trouble you.
I've spoken to her already. and shall
speak to her again"
We'll, I'm very sorry, but Of course
IL you insist on being offended can't
help 1t. I'm sure l meant il in
neighborly way. Good afternoon"
Good afternoon" And Helen closed
the door very softly to keep from
closing it very hard.
Rushing out to the kitchen. with ex-
cited, vehement warnings, she con-
fronted the astonished Anna. Never,
never, under any circumstances. must
she go near the Gordons' Kitchen OF
even speak to the Gordons' maid!
Because she had to tell someone.
Helen repeated all that Mrs. Gordon
had said, her indignation and her rage
increasing with the rehearsal.
When Helen was thoroughly angry,
it always made her i'll And now the
thought of Emmas treachery and Mrs.
Gordon's naughty insolence inhamed
her to the point Of hysteria.
BY the time Warren came home,
her head ached, her throat ached and
she had worked herself up into an
actual fever.
"Oh! What do you think? Who do
you thinks been here was her inco-
herent greeting. And what do you
think that sly. hateful Emma is saying
about us?''
How should know" indifferently.
as ne tossed her the evening paper
and peeled off his overcoat.
THAT we didn't give her enough to
eat! That's what she told Mrs. Cor
dun's maid, and Mrs. Gordon came in
here today and told met"
Huh, she had a lot to do"
~And that isn't air." excitedly. "She
said her maid had to practically feed
Emma because we didn't give her
enough! That Emma was always in
her kitchen. and that she hoped I'd
keep my new maid out!'
Wen, she's right about that"
'Oh," fiaming9y Wasn't her maid
always in our kitchen? The very first
thing told this girl was not to go
near the Cordons' maid"
Just see that sac don't then
What's the sense of getting all fused
up about it,"
Put. dear. don't you care? Aren't
you furious that Emma should say
such things about as? She's told ev-
erybody in the house, know she has
that we're so stingy We didn't give
her enough to eat!"
What II she hass We know it's
not true. don't WEI"
But other people don't. Oh, War
rem, don't you care at ali what people
think Of us?-
NON dnyOOuy WIZ VI iibleu 10 lOb
OF backdoor gossip"
well, care--it makes me Wild
And the idea OF Mrs. Gordon coming
In here with such a story! I'd love to
write her a note and tell her Just
what I think OF herr"
Nov, see here. Don't you pull of
any rumpus with the Gordons. We're
in too close quarters to stir up any
rows"
II stir up a row? Why, haven't
been near her! She walked I'm here
with her naughty, overbearing airl
hardly said a word You know can
never talk back"
"Oh, you're NOT so alfred meek.
I'll wager before she got out you
made her feel darned uncomfortable.
And once you get grudge against
anybody-you never let up Now
don't you try any of your getting
even schemes. Can that note bust
ness and steer clear Of her. Forget
IT."