Martha was speechless, and Janet had to laugh as she watched her curl one end of her apron into a hard little knot. "Well, Martha,"--Mrs. Todd held out her hand--"don't look as though you had seen a ghost." Martha managed to say something, but she was quite powerless to stop the visitor from striding into the house and walking unannounced into Mrs. Page's room. Janet sat down on the stone seat in the garden and waited. Boru stretched out on the path at her feet and panted after his run. Not a sound came from the house. Janet did not try to imagine what was going on in her grandmother's room. She was conscious that a big change had come into her life, and she dimly realized that in the future she would spend more time in thinking than she had ever spent before. It seemed as though she was conscious of the world around her, and instead of just accepting it she felt that she was a part of it. "Janet Page," she said aloud, and stared hard at the old sun-dial. Suddenly Boru barked, and she jumped as though she had been wakened from a dream. The dog rushed to the corner of the garden, and Janet looked up just in time to see the rim of a torn straw hat disappear over the wall. CHAPTER IV JANET'S KINGDOM Janet did not have time to investigate further, for at that moment Martha beckoned her mysteriously into the house. It was plain to be seen that the old servant was greatly disturbed. "What's the matter!" Janet inquired in a whisper, for she caught some of the suspense. "Oh, Miss Janet, whatever shall we do?" Martha exclaimed. "Mrs. Todd walked into your grandmother's room, and they have been arguing ever since. Your grandmother will have a turn I know, and yet I don't dare to interrupt them. What shall I do?" It was a proof of the Great Change to be consulted, and Janet smiled with something like pride. "I shouldn't do anything if I were you," she replied quietly. "Perhaps they are not arguing any more. They may just be talking; they're old friends, you know." Martha shot a quick glance toward the closed door. "Old friends," she said, and then, thinking better of it, she did not finish the sentence, but said instead, "Sit down to your luncheon, child, do; it's getting cold and there's no reason to wait." Janet nodded and went into the dining-room. She took a long time over her chops and sweet potatoes, but she finished without hearing the door to her grandmother's room open. Martha was almost in tears. "Your grandmother has had no luncheon," she protested. "Dearie me, what shall I do?" "Take my advice and wait until she calls you," Janet advised. "You know she doesn't like to be disturbed. I'm going out," she added. "No, Boru, you can't come to-day; stay home, like a good dog."