"She helped Mr. Maitland carry Flora out of the water," Mrs. Payton was explaining; "he told me about it. He said she was very brave, but I know she got her feet wet; and I always tell her there's no surer way to take cold than to get your feet wet. And poor Flora! She hasn't any relations, as far as I can find out; so whom can I notify? When I went to housekeeping, servants always came from somewhere, and if they got sick you knew where to send them. I don't want to be unkind, but, really, it was very inconsiderate in Flora. I suppose she never thought how hard it would be for Freddy--" "Where is Fred, at this moment?" Mr. Weston interrupted. "Well, she means to be kind, I'm sure," Mrs. Payton said, "but I do wish she wasn't so extreme! She has actually gone to the undertaking place--you know they sent Flora in this morning to Colby's--with some roses. American Beauties, and you know how much they cost at this season! She wanted to put them on the coffin herself, and--" "Oh, _do_ stop talking about such unpleasant things!" Mrs. Holmes said. "Well, I merely meant that it is unnecessary. As I say, Flora has no relatives, so no one will ever know of the attention. It's just another wild thing for Freddy to do." "Possibly Flora will know it," Mr. Weston said; "at least, wouldn't the Reverend Tait say so?" "Oh," Mrs. Holmes said, frowning, "we are not speaking of religion. Flora was just a servant." Even Mr. Childs winced at that, and for once Arthur Weston's face was candid. "I suppose _that_ will get into the newspapers, too," said Mrs. Holmes--"'A young society girl puts roses' ... and all the rest of the horrid vulgarity of it." "I don't think human kindness is ever vulgar," Mr. Weston said, "and I am sure there will be no improper publicity. Maitland and I have been to all the newspaper offices." "Alone, at midnight, in an auto!" Mrs. Holmes lamented. "Death is an impeccable chaperon," Weston said. ("_That_ will shut her up!" he thought, and it did, for a while.) "To think of such a thing happening to one of my servants," Mrs. Payton bewailed herself; "and I was always so considerate of them!" Mrs. Holmes said there was too much consideration for servants, anyhow. "Let them work! There isn't one of them that will dust the legs of a piano unless you stand over her! Of course, I'm sorry for Flora; I only wish I wasn't so sensitive! But she did starch her table linen too much, Ellen; you can't deny that." "Who is going to pay the funeral expenses?" Mr. Childs said. "Does the city do that, Weston, or is it up to Ellen?" "Oh, Mrs. Payton has no responsibilities about Death--only Life," said Arthur Weston, grimly. "Of course I will attend to all that!" Flora's employer said; "anyhow, her wages for the last month are not due until next week. But, of course, I shall do everything that is proper."