"Timmins! Timmins!" cried Margaret, "come here and fix me — quick! — and step softly, will you? — or you'll wake that young one up, and then, you see, I shall have to stay up stairs." This did not happen, however. Ellen's sleep was much too deep to be easily disturbed. The tea-bell itself, loud and shrill as it was, did not even make her eyelids tremble. After Mrs. and Miss Dunscombe were gone down, Timmins employed herself a little while in putting all things about the room to rights; and then sat down to take _her_ rest, dividing her attention between the fire and Ellen, towards whom she seemed to feel more and more kindness, as she saw that she was likely to receive it from no one else. Presently came a knock at the door — "The tea for the young lady," on a waiter. Miss Timmins silently took the tray from the man, and shut the door. "Well!" said she to herself — "if that ain't a pretty supper to send up to a child that has gone two hundred miles to-day, and had no breakfast! — a cup of tea, cold enough, I'll warrant — bread and butter enough for a bird — and two little slices of ham as thick as a wafer! Well, I just wish Mrs. Dunscombe had to eat it herself, and nothing else! — I'm not going to wake her up for that, I know, till I see whether something better ain't to be had for love or money. So just you sleep on, darling, till I see what I can do for you." In great indignation, down stairs went Miss Timmins; and at the foot of the stairs she met a rosy-cheeked, pleasant-faced girl coming up. "Are you the chambermaid?" said Timmins. "I'm _one_ of the chambermaids," said the girl, smiling; "there's three of us in this house, dear." "Well, I am a stranger here," said Timmins, "but I want you to help me, and I am sure you will. I've got a dear little girl up stairs that I want some supper for — she's a sweet child, and she's under the care of some proud folks here in the tea- room that think it's too much trouble to look at her; and they've sent her up about supper enough for a mouse, and she's half-starving; she lost her breakfast this morning by their ugliness. Now ask one of the waiters to give me something nice for her, will you? — there's a good girl." "James!" said the girl, in a loud whisper to one of the waiters, who was crossing the hall. He instantly stopped and came towards them, tray in hand, and making several extra- polite bows as he drew near. "What's on the supper-table, James?" said the smiling damsel. "Everything that ought to be there, Miss Johns," said the man with another flourish. "Come, stop your nonsense," said the girl, "and tell me quick — I'm in a hurry."