Nor did he cling to his first impression—­the one made in haste and some vexation, when she had first tried to thrust herself into the Ball household and demanded the place filled by Sheila Macklin.  This girl certainly was not insane.  But with all her apparent smartness, Cap’n Ira easily saw that she was not intelligent—­that she had scarcely ordinary understanding.  Beside the newcomer’s shallow nature and even more shallow endowments, Sheila seemed to be from a different world.

“I swan!” whispered Cap’n Ira to Prudence some time later.  “The difference between them two girls!  They ain’t to be spoke of in the same county, I declare.  Look at that one, Prudence,” he said, with a side glance at the newcomer.  “Ain’t she a sight with them thin and flashy clothes?”

“I can’t see anything about her that looks like any of the Honeys, let alone Sarah.”

“Huh!  No.  Only that her hair’s sorter red,” returned Cap’n Ira, “like Sarah’s was.”

The visitor proved her position in the household by sitting idly in a rocking-chair looking over some pictures which were on the table or staring out of the window.  She offered to do nothing for Prudence.  But, of course, Ida May was not very domestic.  Living in a furnished room and working behind the counter in a department store does not develop the domestic virtues to any appreciable degree.

She did not see Sheila until dinner was on the table and she was called to the meal with Cap’n Ira and the old woman.  The stiff, little bow with which Ida May favored the girl in possession was returned by the latter quite as formally.

Sheila had regained complete control of voice and face now.  Although she did not actually address Ida May, her manner was such that there was no restraint put upon the company.  It was the newcomer’s manner, if anything, that curtailed the usual friendly intercourse at the Ball table.

Ida May possessed some powers of observation.  She would have said herself that she was able to “put two and two together.”  The way the meal had been cooked, the way it was served, and the work entailed in doing both these things, were matters not overlooked by the visitor.

She knew that Prudence had given neither thought nor attention to getting the dinner.  The girl the Balls had received in Ida May’s name and supposed identity had done it all herself.  It seemed to be expected of her!

She saw, before the day was over, that Sheila was a very busy person indeed.  That she not only did the housework, but that she waited upon Prudence and Cap’n Ira “hand and foot.”  She did it with such unconcern that the new girl could be sure these tasks were quite what was expected of her.

“Why,” exclaimed Ida May to herself, “she’s just hired help!  Is that what they wanted me for when they sent Tunis Latham up to Boston after me?  I’d like to see myself!”

She had foreseen something of this kind when she had refused so unconditionally to come down here to the Cape.  And her observation of the house and its furnishings, as well as the appearance of the old couple, had confirmed her suspicion that her belief in the Balls “being pretty well fixed” was groundless.