next room to take off her hat, Rose hastened to give it.

"She was so sorry not to be here to say good-bye to you, Miss Sampson. She
feels that you have been such a help to her."

Rhoda had listened to Pauline with a smile faintly lurking at the corner
of her firm lips, but now the smile flashed brightly out at Rose.

"It has been very pleasant work," she said. "I am sorry it is over. But
your aunt has promised me some more work, Miss Merivale. I am to go down
to Woodcote again on Thursday."

Rose was surprised, and she could not help showing it. "You went
yesterday, didn't you?" she said rather stiffly. "It is a long way for you
to go."

"I am very glad to go," Rhoda answered. She did not tell Rose she had
spent the day at Woodcote; something in Rose's manner checked her. But she
did not begin her writing at once. Rose had taken up the cookery book
again, and was bending puzzled brows over it. Rhoda watched her for a
moment, her eyes full of admiration. Miss Desborough was pretty, but there
was not a soft line in her face. Rose looked a child still for all her
womanly height. Rhoda said to herself that she must be much younger than
her brother. It was easy to see that they were brother and sister. Rose
had just the same straight brow she had noticed in him yesterday, and her
eyebrows, like his, were a shade or two darker than her hair.

"Would you let me see if I could help you, Miss Merivale?" Rhoda said,
after a moment. "I did all the cooking at home before we came to England."