Nell of Shorne Mills

Lady Wolfer glanced at her rather curiously.

"How pretty you look when you laugh--quite different. You struck me as

looking rather sad and sobered when I first saw you; but when you

laugh----I should advise you not to laugh when you first see Lord

Wolfer, or he'll think you too absurdly young and girlish for the post.

Do take your hat and jacket off! It will be some time before your room

is ready. Let me help you."

Nell got her outdoor things off quickly, and Lady Wolfer looked at her

still more approvingly.

"You really are quite a child, my dear!" she said, and for some reason

or other she sighed. "Why didn't Wolfer tell me about you before, I

wonder? I wish he had; I should like to have had you come and stay with

us. But he is so reserved----" she sighed again. "But never mind; you

are here now. And how tired you must be! You are looking a little pale

now. Why don't you drink that wine? When you are rested--quite

rested--to-night, after dinner, perhaps--let me see, am I going

anywhere?"

She consulted a large engagement slate of white porcelain which stood

erect on the crowded table.

"Hem! yes, I have to speak at the Sisters of State Society. Never mind;

to-morrow, after lunch--if I'm at home. Yes, I can see that we shall be

great friends, and that is what I wanted. The others--I mean your

predecessors--were such terrible old frumps, without any idea above

cutlets and clean sheets, that they only bored and worried me; but you

will be quite different----"

"Perhaps I shan't be able to rise to the cutlet and clean sheets,"

suggested Nell diffidently; but her ladyship laughed.

"Oh, yes, you will!" she declared. "I am an excellent judge of

character--it's one of my qualifications for the work I'm engaged

in--and I can see that you are an admirable manager. I suppose you ran

the house at home?"

Nell smiled.

"'Home' meant quite a small cottage," she said. "This is a mansion."

"Same thing," commented Lady Wolfer encouragingly. "It's all a question

of system. I haven't any; you have; therefore you'll succeed where I

fail. You've got that quiet, mousy little way which indicates strength

of character----What beautiful hair you have, by the way."

Nell blushed.

"It's no prettier than yours. Why do you wear it so short, Lady Wolfer?"

Lady Wolfer laughed--just a little wearily, so it struck Nell.

"Why? Oh, I don't know. All we advanced women get our hair cut. I

imagine we have a right to do so, and that by going cropped we assert

that right."