Then they came on talking together till they reached the dilapidated porch where Susan stood waiting. “How do you do, Susan? I hope your lady is well,” said Barbara, kindly offering her hand to the girl. “My lady is just about as well as usual, Ma’am; but I don’t know as it would be quite convenient to her ladyship to receive visitors—especially gentlemen,” replied Susan, who, however unjustly and unreasonably, seemed to consider Miss Brande a sort of traitress in having sprung Lord Montressor upon the Headland. “Nevertheless, I think she will not be displeased to see me,” said Barbara, good humoredly. “Let her know that I have come, my girl.” “She is not yet risen, Ma’am, or even awake.” “True, indeed, I had not reflected that it is yet very early. Well, my girl, your lady expects me, will you let me pass into the house?” “Oh! I beg your pardon, Ma’am!” exclaimed Susan blushing at the unconscious rudeness of which she had been guilty, and springing aside to let Miss Brande pass. “Susan, come with me, my girl. A part of my business here is to open some secret closets that you would never find out, and offer their contents—stores of West India sweetmeats, pickles, spices, cordials and so on—to your mistress, if she will favor me by accepting them. And I had rather deliver them up to you, now, while she sleeps and you are at leisure, for when she wakes I presume she will require your attendance at her toilet, and after she is dressed, she will probably wish to see me,” said Barbara, leading the way into the parlor. “Decidedly,” thought Susan, “my lady had little need to draw her funds from the banker’s. These savages here will support her! The black ones furnish game, and the white ones supply the sweetmeats. In fact, I begin to like these barbarians,” she concluded, as she followed Miss Brande into the parlor. Barbara went to the side of the fire-place, touched a spring, and what seemed an oak panel, flew open, revealing one of those deep, hidden closets, so frequently found in old-fashioned country houses, and whose shelves were here laden with rows above rows, of canisters, jars, and bottles, all filled with imported luxuries, and hermetically sealed. “Here! this cupboard contains the sweetmeats and cordials,” said Barbara, taking out a tin canister and a bottle which she placed upon a chair, and before reclosing the panel. Then she went to the other side of the mantel-piece, and opened a corresponding closet similarly furnished. “This one contains the potted, spiced meats and the pickles,” she said, taking down two jars and placing them on the chair beside the bottle and the canister, and then shutting the panel, she turned to Susan and said— “The contents of these cupboards are most freely at your lady’s service, if she will accept them; and now you know the secret of opening the doors.” “Decidedly I _do_ like these barbarians,” thought Susan. Then aloud she answered—