“But, Cousin Helen, this is a private house,” answered this human presentment of the good spirit, a subdued humor lighting his gray eyes, exactly as they had seen Billie’s eyes kindle hundreds of times.  “This is your very own villa and this is your staff of domestics,” he added, indicating the regiment of servants who again bowed low like the chorus in a comic opera.  “You are to regard yourself as queen of this little realm,” he went on, pointing to the charming grounds and garden surrounding the house, “and you are to be in absolute command.  Nellie and Nannie and Mollie and Billie are to be your maids of honor and I’ll be general factotum and protector.  As for the staff,” he continued in a whisper, “their combined wages for one month amount to about one good servant’s hire at home.”

The maid in the front of the cohort now stepped forth.  She was much older than the others; her hair was short and her blue cotton robe seemed severe and plain in comparison to the gay colored kimonos of the younger maids.

“This is our housekeeper and cook, O’Haru San,” announced Mr. Campbell.  “I shall leave you in her charge now and keep an appointment.”

So saying, Mr. Duncan Campbell kissed his daughter, smiled delightfully on the company in general and hastened down the walk to the road, for the villa was in the suburbs of Tokyo.

“Will honorable ladies enter humble, small house,” said O’Haru making an obeisance.

But before they could move an inch, the maids were at their feet deftly unfastening their shoes.

“What in the world are they doing?” demanded Miss Campbell.

“One never wears shoes in the house, Cousin, don’t you remember?  Papa told us so this morning,” answered Billie slipping her feet into the straw sandals provided.

“Perfect nonsense!” exclaimed Miss Campbell, shuffling into the hall in her loose footgear.  “I suppose I shall be expected to sit on the floor and eat my meals on a door mat,” she complained, “and that I positively will not do.  My old joints are far too stiff to be doubled up like a pair of nut crackers.”

The girls giggled and the four little Japanese maids giggled, too; not that they understood a word of the language, but good humor is the keynote of the Japanese character and strangers are treated with a sympathetic courtesy and hospitality unequaled in any other country.

However, Miss Campbell’s fears were immediately set at rest, for the long, low-ceiled drawing-room of the villa was furnished in European fashion with plenty of comfortable arm-chairs and sofas made of bamboo.  The floors were covered with thick soft mats and the front walls facing the piazza were really sliding panels covered with opaque paper through which the light cast a soft mellow luster.  As a matter of fact, Dr. and Mrs. Spears, the owners of the villa, had kept it as Japanese as possible without interfering with their foreign ideas of comfort.  The only ornaments were several beautiful scrolls and screens and a few vases.