Miss Jennifer, do you mind if I take a couple of those big pasteboard suitcases in the box closet? There’s a-plenty of them up there. And if you don’t mind, I’d like to take a pound of that nice fresh butter to my sister as a present.”

“Yes, do take it,” said Jennifer. “Perhaps Letty would like a pound, too. She said she was going to board herself while she was away.”

“I’ll tell her, Miss Jennifer, and thank you kindly. You’re getting like your blessed mamma every day.”

“Thank you, Maggie.” Jennifer choked back a sob that suddenly swelled into her throat, and she sped away up the stairs. How hard it was going to be to break even this humble link to their old life. Maggie had endeared herself to them in many ways, and Jennifer had a sudden appalling feeling of her own inadequacy. How was she ever going to be able to take the place not only of Father and Mother, but of all the servants as well, to her dear young family? She who knew so little about the routine of daily living?

Heather put out a cautious head from her door and called softly:

“Sister! Come here and tell us. Are these dresses too fancy?” She held up a thin gingham outfit of dark blue with scarlet rickrack edging on thin white ruffles. It was just a cheap little dress but evidently one that Heather admired greatly.

“No, that’s all right! Now, let’s see how much you have done!”

The girls had really done good work, and little piles of socks and underwear, a row of shoes to be selected from, and piles of neatly ironed cotton dresses were duly displayed to her. She made a few changes, suggesting an addition or two and eliminating one or two items.

“Now,” said the older sister, “that’s fine. You might run in my room and get those two suitcases under my bed. I had Jerry put them there. I think they will about hold your things, and then we can hide them in the closet for the present.” Quietly the two girls tiptoed into their sister’s room and brought back the suitcases, looking furtively behind them as if they expected to see an enemy-aunt lurking in every corner.

With awe they brought their piles of clothing and handed them to Jennifer as she knelt by the open suitcases and laid things carefully in.

“What about our brushes and combs and things?” asked Hazel practically.

“We’ll have to take a couple of little overnight bags,” said Jennifer. “One for us and one for the boys. They have all the fittings in, and then everything will be easy to get at. Get your necessities together. Now, are you sure you’ve saved out all you’ll need for the journey?”

They hurried around and got a few other things—hats, coats—and then stealthily shoved the suitcases into their closets.

“Now,” they said, “what shall we do next?”

“Come in and help me get Robin’s and Karen’s things packed. I got some of them together a little while ago, but I think perhaps you will know better whether I have forgotten anything. You have been around with them more every day and know what they need.”

Another hasty session followed, getting Robin and Karen packed, and into the midst of it came the soft notes of the dinner gong.

“Now, I wonder where Jerry is,” said Jennifer. “And the children. Hazel, you run out and bring them in. Wash their hands and faces in the hall lavatory. No, don’t bother to comb their hair now. Or—here’s my little pocket comb—just smooth them up a bit. You never can be sure that some relative won’t drop in while we’re eating, and everything must look perfectly all right or they will think I can’t take care of you children. Smooth your own hair, Hazel, before you go down, and try to act as ladylike as if you were all dressed up. Don’t let Maggie see any excitement about you. Now, hurry and get the children! Heather, you see if you can find Jerry. He’s in his room, perhaps.”

Heather paused on the top step of the stairs.

“Jerry is just coming in the front door,” she said.