She removed her wraps, rearranged her hair, then tied a pretty white apron about her waist, and was ready to go down to the second story, where she found Harriet just going to her mistress, and at a signal from her followed her into the room. Miss Leonard did not pay the slightest heed to her, until she had given her orders to Harriet, and dismissed her; then, in an extremely matter-of-fact manner, as if the girl had already been there a month, she remarked: “The leaves of this new magazine are waiting to be cut, Miss Howland, and by the time you have finished, dinner will be served. Afterward I shall want you to make out a list for some shopping that must be done to-morrow.” Salome sat down in a low rocker near Miss Leonard, and began to cut the leaves of the book with an exquisite paper-cutter of solid silver, and thus entered upon her duties as companion to the most peculiar character she had ever met. When dinner was announced, she followed to the dining-room, and took the seat opposite her. Harriet was present to wait. Everything about the table was rich and elegant, and arranged in the most perfect manner, while the numerous courses plainly indicated that Miss Leonard was not indifferent to luxuries, even if she did live the life of a recluse. The meal was somewhat tedious, for Miss Leonard did not seem inclined to be social, and Salome did not feel at liberty to introduce any topic for conversation; but it was over at last, and they went to the library, where Salome was required to make out the list for shopping. Then she was sent for the magazine, which she had made ready before dinner, and for nearly two hours she read aloud, beginning with the first article, and reading everything in course. Evidently Miss Leonard intended to get her money’s worth out of her periodicals, for she would allow nothing to be skipped, and she was a tireless listener, taking in everything, as the quick glancing of her intelligent eyes and the varying expression of her face plainly betrayed. “Do you play backgammon?” she abruptly asked, as Salome finished a long article on ancient architecture. “Yes,” she answered, she knew both the Russian and the common games. “Then wheel that little table over here, and we’ll play for a while before we go to bed,” Miss Leonard commanded, and for another hour not much was heard but the rattle of dice and the moving of men. At half-past nine, Miss Leonard pushed back her chair and asked Salome to ring the bell for Harriet. “Now you can go to bed if you want to,” she said, “but we have breakfast promptly at eight o’clock.” Salome experienced a feeling of relief, on learning that her duties would not begin until that time, and told herself that, by rising early, she would have at least two hours for work or study, as she chose. She bade Miss Leonard a pleasant good-night, remarking that she hoped she would rest well.