“ Mrs. Cressler!” she called, as she stood in the hallway drawing off her gloves. “ Mrs. Cressler! Carrie, have you gone yet?”

But the maid, Annie, appeared at the head of the stairs, on the landing of the second floor, a towel bound about her head, her duster in her hand.

“ Mrs. Cressler has gone out, Mrs. Jadwin,” she said. “She said you was to make yourself at home, and she’d be back by noon.”