The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-03-14
CHAPTER xV-continued.

Ladies'" he said gravely, Miss
Amy Snooks. Late of Scroope Tow
ers." And took his leave.
Aimee said "good-evening'' shyly,
and seated herself. 1t occurred to her
that she had never seen so man. plain
women gathered at one table. With
the exception of the cook, they were
all angular and scraggy. Pulling her.
self together with an effort, Aimee
took a generous mouthful from q slice
Of thick bread and butter. The fewer
words the better, until she knew her
ground. She seemed to detect an air
of faint hostility in the others.
whats the feedin' like at ScrOope?'
asked an elderly housemaid opposite
her. In a hollow voice.
'They fare pretty good" said Aimee,
with her mouth full of bread and but
ter, 'but the place is dull. l been at
home some time"
you won't be ere long," said the
pageboy regretfully, neglecting his tea
to stare at her.
why not?" said. Aimee with some
pertness.
you're a sight too ~good-lookin'," re-
piled the page gloomily.
albert" said the cook with aus
terity, pass this cup O. tea an don't
talk rubbish !"
Aimee took refuge behind her stone
ware teacup. She was aware Of a
crossire of g~lances, so sour and side
long, that the very milk seemed to
curdle in sympathy.
=
The morning sun, full of the prom
Use of a fair day, shone through the
windows of the long drawing room.
Aimee, in a snow-white cap and apron.
was welding a feather brush among
priceless knick-knacks. Her manner
of busting was desultory.
II wonder how long l can stick it?"
she murmured in respondent tones. A
Vatican shepherdess escaped destruc-
ton by a miracle.
"In all my life 1 never saw such a
In ones mouth-it's awful. It's all
very well sitting tight and saying
nothing. 1 shall break out know I
shall, unless | can see Billy SOON"
She observed a large photograph of
the Rev. and Hon. Alexander Lambe,
In an ornate silver frame, standing on
a table. Aimee recognized the por-
trait, and ficked at it ~viciously with
the feather brush. She miscalculated,
he portrait 'crashed on to the floor.
When she picked it up the glass was
shattered.
"That's torn 1t. All %breakages come
off my wages. i wish it had been his
silly facet"
AT that moment Miss Georgina Ber-
ners entered by one of the French win
dows. She was aware of a simmer and
more youthful figure than n she had
yet seen in the household. Georgina
made a point of always being civil to
her hostess servants.
"Are you the new parlor maid?' she
said amiably.
Aimee turned and faced her.
"Hullo, Georgiel !" she exclaimed.
Georgina, during the last three days,
had suffered more than any placid soul
should be called upon to endure. She
SldISu Nliuiy LUZ q luOincnt ut tu6 SllIu
form in the cap and apron. Georgina
had arrived at the breaking-point. She
collapsed backwards into an arm
chair; a series of shrill whoops came
from her; her hands beat the air.
"Georgina! !" cried her cousin in a
panic. For PHYS sake don't do that.
You'll give the whole show awayi"
"Honk Honkl Honk !" said Georg-
ina.
Aimee had once heard a physician
declare that sympathy and kindness
merely made Mysteries worse. 1t was
time to change the treatment. She
grabbed her cousin by the shoulders.
"Shut up that beastly row." said
Aimee f~iercely, shaking her till her
teeth ratified. "Stop It'll Do you want
to get me handcuffed and put in the
cells? Idiot?'
Georgina gasped, choked, and sat
up. She clung 70 her cousin desper-
ately.