certainly, I suppose that will be necessary; living out in that barbarous, uncivilized region, of course you don’t know much.  You seem to speak correctly, but John always was particular about his speech.  He had a tutor when he was little who tripped him up every mistake he made.  That was the only thing that tutor was good for; he was a linguist.  We found out afterwards he was terribly wild, and drank.  He did John more harm than good, Marie, I shall want Elizabeth to have the rooms next mine.  Ring for Martha to see that everything is in order.  Elizabeth, did you ever have your hands manicured?  You have a pretty-shaped hand.  I’ll have the woman attend to it when she comes to shampoo your hair and put it up.  Did you bring any clothes along?  Of course not.  You couldn’t on horseback.  I suppose you had your trunk sent by express.  No trunk?  No express?  No railroad?  How barbarous!  How John must have suffered, poor fellow!  He, so used to every luxury!  Well, I don’t see that it was my fault.  I gave him everything he wanted except his wife, and he took her without my leave.  Poor fellow, poor fellow!”

Mrs. Bailey in due time sent Elizabeth off to the suite of rooms that she said were to be hers exclusively, and arose to bedeck herself for another day.  Elizabeth was a new toy, and she anticipated playing with her.  It put new zest into a life that had grown monotonous.

Elizabeth, meanwhile, was surveying her quarters, and wondering what Lizzie would think if she could see her.  According to orders, the coachman had taken Robin to the stable, and he was already rolling in all the luxuries of a horse of the aristocracy, and congratulating himself on the good taste of his mistress to select such a stopping-place.  For his part he was now satisfied not to move further.  This was better than the wilderness any day.  Oats like these, and hay such as this, were not to be found on the plains.

Toward evening the grave butler, with many a deprecatory glance at the neighborhood, arrived at the door of Mrs. Brady, and delivered himself of the following message to that astonished lady, backed by her daughter and her granddaughter, with their ears stretched to the utmost to hear every syllable: 

“Mrs. Merrill Wilton Bailey sends word that her granddaughter, Miss Elizabeth, has reached her home safely, and will remain with her.  Miss Elizabeth will come sometime to see Mrs. Brady, and thank her for her kindness during her stay with her.”

The butler bowed, and turned away with relief.  His dignity and social standing had not been so taxed by the family demands in years.  He was glad he might shake off the dust of Flora Street forever.  He felt for the coachman.  He would probably have to drive the young lady down here sometime, according to that message.

Mrs. Brady, her daughter, and Lizzie stuck their heads out into the lamplighted street, and watched the dignified butler out of sight.  Then they went in and sat down in three separate stages of relief and astonishment.