“Nobody at home,” said a voice, as the door opened only a narrow crack, and but part of a face could be seen.

“Is that so?” said Bill, pleasantly.  “But you’re at home, aren’t you?  And perhaps you’re the very one I want to see.  Are you Mrs. O’Brien?”

“Yes, I am,” and the door opened just a trifle wider; “but the family is away, an’ me ordhers is to admit nobody at all, at all.”

“Well, we don’t want to be admitted, but won’t you step outside a moment?”

Farnsworth emphasised his remarks by pushing the door wide open, and, partly out of curiosity, Mrs. O’Brien stepped outside.  She was a small woman, but her face wore a look of grim determination, as if she were afraid of nothing.  She quieted the barking dogs, and turned to Patty.

“Don’t be afraid, Miss,” she said; “they won’t hurt ye, now that they see me a-talkin’ to yez.  Did ye want to see Mrs. Cartwright?  She ain’t home, an’ won’t be till day after tomorrah.”

“No,” said Patty, “I don’t know Mrs. Cartwright.  I want to see you.  Susan Hastings, my own cook, said your people were away, and so perhaps you would go out to cook for a couple of days to oblige a neighbour.”

“Oblige a neighbour, is it?  Sure no lady would come afther another lady’s cook, underhanded like, when the lady’s away!”

Patty’s face flushed with righteous indignation.

“It isn’t underhanded!” she exclaimed, “You don’t understand!  I don’t want you permanently, but only for a day, or two days at most,—­because our cook has left.”

“Arrah, ma’am, you said your cook was Susan Hastings!  Yer a quare leddy, I’m thinkin’, an’ yer husband here, is another!  Sthrivin’ to entice away a cook as is satisfied wid her place, and who manes honest by her employers!”

Farnsworth was grinning broadly at the assumption of his and Patty’s relationship, but Patty was enraged at the implication of underhandedness.

“He isn’t my husband!” she cried, “and I don’t want a cook for myself, but for another lady!”

“Are ye runnin’ an intilligence office, belike?”

“Here!” cried Bill, sharply.  “Don’t you speak like that to that lady!  Now, you listen to me.  We are both visitors at Miss Galbraith’s.  Her cook left suddenly, and we want you to come and cook for us, two days if you will,—­but one day anyway!  See?  Do you understand that?  You’re to go over to Miss Galbraith’s now, with us, and cook dinner tonight.  After dinner, you may do as you like about staying longer.  We’ll pay you well, and there’s no reason whatever why you shouldn’t oblige us.”

At first the Irishwoman looked a little intimidated at Bill’s manner and his gruff tones, but in a moment she flared up.

“I’ll do nothin’ of the sort!  I’m left here in charge of this place, an’ here I’ll shtay!”

“Is there no one else to guard the place?”

“Yis, there’s the second gardener, an’ the coachman.  I cooks their meals for them.  The other servants is away for two days.”