第635章 MR. PERCY AND THE PROPHET.(81)

"It was something I heard early this afternoon, ma'am," Amelia began. "Cook happened to be busy--"The cook interposed: she had not forgiven the housemaid for calling her a simpleton. "No, Amelia, if you _must_ bring me into it--not busy. Uneasy in my mind on the subject of the soup.""I don't know that your mind makes much difference," Amelia resumed. "What it comes to is this--it was I, and not you, who went into the kitchen-garden for the vegetables.""Not by _my_ wish, Heaven knows!" persisted the cook.

"Leave the room!" said Mrs. Bowmore. Even her patience had given way at last.

The cook looked as if she declined to believe her own ears. Mrs.

Bowmore pointed to the door. The cook said "Oh?"--accenting it as a question. Mrs. Bowmore's finger still pointed. The cook, in solemn silence, yielded to circumstances, and banged the door.