"Gabrielle? She was the nurse?"
"Yes, and I have been obliged to look after the baby, to help the maids with the cleaning and dusting, to assist the cook, to look after things generally and to keep father and mother from getting into the dumps."
"Did Gabrielle do all these things?"
"Oh, no, but when one maid goes the others want to, and it has been a difficult matter to keep them all contented and busy. Gabrielle was a good nurse, but a bit flighty and quite excitable."
"But you don't know that she has gone for good?"
"She took her boxes, and went away very unexpectedly. It may have been on account of the fire, but we don't know. She has never gone away like this before, but I suppose an excitable person, such as she was, is liable to do strange things at any time."
"It must be very awkward to be without help at such a time, and if we are any trouble—-"
"Oh, no, don't think of going," said Margaret hurriedly. "By the way, did you find an owner for the watch?"
"We have had several claimants, but no real owner," said Jack. "It is a very handsome one, and almost anybody might be excused for wanting it."
"Yes, indeed. I would like very much to have it myself. How could it have been here when it does not belong to any one in our family?"