“No,” interrupted the elf. “Not ‘Miss.’ Whoever heard of ‘Miss’ Owlet? Plain Owlet. Tom used to call me Miss Catherine; but that was something else. Tom was the little colored gentleman who waited on us when we lived in the city, in the lovely rooms with Lady.” “All right, then, Miss Catherine——” “No—Owlet.” “Well, then, Owlet—I think we will get tea. And by that time, Mr. William will be home,” said the seamstress, as she lighted her kerosene lamp, stood it on the mantelpiece, took her kettle and went to the water spigot to fill it. When she had done this and was returning along the passage she met Harcourt at the top of the stairs, with a small paper bag in his hands. “Oh, Mr. William,” she said, “I want you, if you please, to come and take tea with us.” “‘Us,’ Annie? ‘Us’ has a very pleasant sound. Yes, I will, thank you. And here are some cutlets I bought to cook for the child. Will you take them to add to our tea?” he asked, putting the paper bag in her hand. “Oh, thank you, Mr. William; this will come in very well,” she said. “How is the little one?” “Oh, bless you! splendid! I have got all her little story from her, as well as a smart child of her age could give it.” “Indeed! What——” “Now, wait! The story is too long to be told here at the top of the stairs with the tea kettle in my hand. Wait until after we have had our tea and I have put the child to bed; then I will tell you all about it. Her pet name is Owlet. She likes to be called by it. That is all you need to know just yet.” “Quite right, Annie. I will go into my room and brush myself up a little, and then join you and the child,” he said, as he passed into his own apartment. “Mr. William has come, dear. He has just gone to his room to wash and change his clothes, and then he will come and take tea with us,” said Annie, as she re-entered her own room. “Oh, has he? And did he ask about Lady?” eagerly demanded Owlet. “Of course he did. Didn’t he promise that he would?” “Oh, yes.” “Well, then he did; you may be quite sure; and he will tell you all about it when he comes in. And now, what are you trying to do, little Goody Two Shoes?” demanded the seamstress, seeing that the child had taken a white cloth from the cupboard and was pushing it over the top of the table, which her chin just reached. “I don’t know what you mean by Goody Two Shoes, but I am going to set the table for tea. I can do it as well as anybody. Now, don’t stop me. See!” she said, as she pushed the linen as far over the board as she could make it go, and then ran around and deftly pulled it straight and even. “I see you can do it nicely. Go on, then, little Bopeep,” said Annie, with a smile of approval, as she began to cook the cutlets, furtively watching the child with some uneasiness for the safety of her crockery.