Sarah Judd accepted these favors with meek resignation.  Since her one long speech of explanation she had maintained silence.  Leaving her in her room, the family congregated in the den, where Mr. Conant was telling Irene about the queer arrival and the unfortunate misunderstanding that had occasioned it.

“The girl is not to blame,” said Mary Louise.  “She seems an honest little thing, resolved to do her duty.  It is all Mrs. Morrison’s fault.”

“Doesn’t look like a very competent servant, either,” observed Mr. Conant, comfortably puffing his pipe.

“You can’t tell that from appearances, Peter,” replied Mrs. Conant.  “She can at least wash dishes and sweep and do the drudgery.  Why not keep her?”

“Oh, my dear!”

“Mrs. Morrison has paid her a month’s wages, and Molly Morrison wouldn’t have done that had not the girl been competent.  It won’t cost us anything to keep her—­except her food—­and it seems a shame to cast her adrift just because the Morrisons forgot to notify her they had changed their plans.”

“Also,” added Mary Louise, “Sarah Judd will be useful to us.  This is Aunt Hannah’s vacation, as well as a vacation for the rest of us, and a rest from cooking and housework would do her a heap of good.”

“Looking at it from that viewpoint,” said Peter, after puffing his pipe reflectively, “I approve of our keeping Sarah Judd.  I believe it will please the Morrisons better than for us to send her away, and—­it surely won’t hurt Hannah to be a lady of leisure for a month or so.”

CHAPTER XVIII

MARY LOUISE GROWS SUSPICIOUS

And so Sarah Judd’s fate was decided.  She prepared their Sunday morning breakfast and cooked it quite skillfully.  Her appearance was now more tidy and she displayed greater energy than on the previous evening, when doubtless she was weary from her long walk.  Mrs. Conant was well pleased with the girl and found the relief from clearing the table and “doing” the dishes very grateful.  Their Sunday dinner, which Sarah prepared unaided and served promptly at one o’clock, their usual hour, was a pleasant surprise to them all.

“The girl is a treasure,” commented Mrs. Conant, contentedly.

Sarah Judd was not talkative.  When told she might stay she merely nodded her red head, displaying neither surprise nor satisfaction.  Her eyes had a habit of roving continually from face to face and from object to object, yet they seemed to observe nothing clearly, so stolid was, their expression.  Mary Louise tried to remember where she had noted a similar expression before, but could not locate it.

Miss Lord came over that afternoon and when told about the new maid and the manner of her appearance seemed a little startled and uneasy.

“I must see what she looks like,” said she, “for she may prove a congenial companion for my own maid, who is already sulking because the place is so lonely.”