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her up last night, but what with the Camille episode and dining out I forgot all about it. When I tell her we're suited, she'll be green with envy."
Her unsuspecting victim advanced beaming. Being of the opposite sex, I felt sorry for her.
"Daphne, my dear," she announced, "I meant to have rung you up last night. I've got a cook."
The pendulum of my emotions described the best part of a semicircle, and I felt sorry for Daphne.
"I am glad," said my sister, with an audacity which took my breath away. "How splendid! So've we."
"Hurray," said Katharine, with a sincerity which would have deceived a diplomat. "Don't you feel quite strange? I can hardly believe it's really happened. Mine rejoices in the name of Pauline," she added.
I started violently, and Berry's jaw dropped.
"Pauline?" cried Daphne and Jill.
"Yes," said Katharine. "It's a queer name for a cook, but----What's the matter?"
"But so's ours! Ours is Pauline! What's her other name?"
"Roper," cried Katharine breathlessly.
"Not from Torquay?"--in a choking voice.
Katharine nodded and put a trembling handkerchief to her lips.
"I paid her fare," she said faintly. "It came to----"
"Two pounds nine and four pence halfpenny," said my sister. "I gave her two pounds ten."
"So did I," said Katharine. "She was to come on--on Monday."
"Six years in her last place?" said Daphne shakily
"Yes. And a clergyman's daughter," wailed Katharine.
"Did--did you take up her reference?"
"Wired last night," was the reply.
In silence I brought two chairs, and they sat down.
"But--but," stammered Jill, "she spoke from Torquay on Wednesday."
"Did she?" said Berry. "I wonder."
"Yes," said Katharine. "She did."
"You know she did," said Daphne and Jill.
"Who," said I, "answered the telephone?"
"My parlourmaid did," said Katharine.
"And Jill answered ours," said I. Then I turned to my cousin. "W