On the sixth day, as she was removing her apron and putting her table in order, she saw Miss Walton hastening toward her, a smile of satisfaction gleaming upon her face. “Miss Douglas,” she said, loud enough for several of the other girls to hear, “Mr. Coolidge wishes you to come to the office again; he wishes to settle with you.” Now, it was considered quite a disgrace for any one to be called upon to “settle” before the season was over, and Brownie became at once the cynosure of all eyes in her neighborhood. Brownie saw that several of the girls were regarding her suspiciously, and listening eagerly to the conversation. “Yes, Miss Walton,” she said, in her clear, sweet tones, “I have been expecting some such message as this for several days. I sail for Europe with Mr. Coolidge and his family on Monday.” CHAPTER X BROWNIE AT THE COOLIDGE MANSION Mr. Coolidge glanced up with a smile of welcome, as Brownie, more beautiful than ever with the excitement of her little encounter with Miss Walton, entered the office. “Miss Walton said you wished to see me, sir,” she said, simply. “Yes, Miss Douglas, as we sail on Monday, I thought best to close your account with the firm to-night.” “You have heard from Mr. Conrad, then, I suppose,” she said, taking it for granted, while her face became radiant with hope. “No, Miss Douglas; I have not. I wrote immediately, but, receiving no reply, after waiting three days, I telegraphed, and his clerk returned word to-day that he had left town for a week.” Brownie’s countenance fell, and she grew very pale. All her bright hopes crumbled to dust, and nothing remained for her but to plod wearily along day by day. “I am very sorry,” she said, regretfully. “Of course, it is settled that I am not to go with you.” “Why not?” he asked, quickly adding: “You jump at conclusions, do you not? I told you, I believe, that, as we sailed on Monday, I wished to close your account to-night. That does not look much like not going, does it?” She had forgotten his words, and her face lighted a trifle at this; but she asked: “But would you be justified, sir, in taking me without a recommendation?” “I think so, and I think you are over-sensitive upon that point. I never met a governess before without a recommendation who did not try to pass the circumstance over as lightly as possible,” returned the gentleman, with an amused smile. “I only desire that you and Mrs. Coolidge should be entirely satisfied,” she said, with proud dignity.