On the hall table, beside a well-worn copy of Shelley, lay the Doctor's gloves and soft gray hat. She seized the gloves impulsively and laid them against her cheek. “Dear, dear Doctor!” she whispered almost fiercely. “So good, and kind, and--and wonderful!” Suddenly she was aware of some one watching her covertly through the crack of the dining-room door. “Myrtella!” she cried. “Is that you?” “Yes'm, if you please,” came in strange, meek accents. “I'd like to speak with you.” It was so entirely out of the course of human events for Myrtella to assume humility, that Miss Lady looked at her in amazement. “I can't say,” began Myrtella, still half behind the door, “that I like the way things is run in this house. I'm thinkin' some of givin' notice.” “Why, Myrtella!” cried Miss Lady in dismay. “I'm afraid the work is too heavy. We might get--” “Needn't mind finishing, Mis' Squeerington, you was goin' to say a house girl. If you think I'd share my room with any Dutch or Irish biddy, I must say you're mighty mistaken! Besides, ain't I givin' satisfaction? Ain't I doin' the work to suit you?” “Of course you are, but I thought you--” “Was gettin' old, I suppose, and couldn't do as much work as I used to. I look feeble, don't I?” Miss Lady glanced at the massive figure with brawny arms akimbo, and smiled. “Well, what's the trouble then?” she asked kindly. “Why do you want to leave?” Myrtella's eyes shifted as she rubbed some imaginary dust from the door: “I ain't used to working fer a lady that don't take no holt. It don't seem natural, and it leaves folks room to talk.” “But I thought you wanted to have full charge and run things just as you have done in the past.” “Well, it don't look right fer you not to be givin' me no orders, nor rowin' the grocery man, nor lightin' into nobody. If folks didn't know better they'd think you wasn't used to bein' a lady!” Miss Lady bit her lip to keep from laughing. “I'll be only too glad to keep house, only I don't know much about it. Aunt Caroline and Uncle Jimpson did everything out home, and you've done everything here.” “Well, I ain't goin' to no longer,” said Myrtella firmly. “If you want to light in and learn, I'll learn you. But I ain't going to stay except on one condition, you got to take a holt of everything! You got to lock things up and give me out what I need. You got to order all the meals and tell me what you want done every mornin'. I ain't goin' to have people throwin' it in my face that I work for a lady that don't know a skillet from a saucepan!” “You're right, Myrtella,” said Miss Lady, her face grown suddenly grave. “I don't wonder you are ashamed of me. Perhaps some good hard work will brush the cobwebs out of my brain. When shall I take charge of things, to-morrow?” “As you say,” said Myrtella meekly; then with a sudden flare, “though it does look like I might be trusted one more day to finish up the general cleaning and git after the ashman for not emptyin' them barrels.”