A neat, old, colored woman was engaged in setting the table for tea.
“Put seven plates and seven cups and saucers, Mocka. I spects young Mr. Force will come in along of Master Roland,” said Miss Sibby, as she once more seated herself among her guests around the fire.
Presently the inner door opened and a very fine-looking woman of about thirty-five years of age entered the room. She was a brilliant brunette, with a great quantity of rippling black hair covering a well-shaped head. Her features were, perhaps, rather coarse, her face and form rather too full, and her stature too low, but her eyes were large, black and beautiful, and shaded by long and very thick black lashes, and arched by heavy black brows; her mouth was large but well formed, plump and red, and her complexion was rich and beautiful beyond description. A strikingly handsome woman she would have been called anywhere. She wore a black silk dress, with fine lace ruffles at the throat and wrists; a pearl brooch and a very heavy gold watch chain.
She waddled into the room, with an easy, rolling motion, and nodded graciously to the company assembled there.
She looked doubtful, the sisters thought. She might be a lady, but—
As soon as she spoke all doubts were set at rest.
“Mrs. Wright, ’low me to introduce you to Mrs. Hedge, and to Miss Grandiere, also to little Miss Hedge,” said the hostess, rising and formally presenting the stranger to her neighbors.
“Proud to know you, ma’am. Proud to know you, miss. Proud to know you, little miss. It is most seasonable weather for the season,” said the stranger, bowing elaborately and smiling broadly on each of her new acquaintances—who all returned her greetings with quiet courtesy—and then seating herself in the armchair which had apparently been left vacant for her.
Both the sisters saw at once that the romance of Miss Sibby was not founded on fact, and that this woman could not have been the mother of the sea waif, Roland Bayard.
She chattered away incessantly about her voyage from San Francisco, her seasickness, the kindness of the young mate Bayard to her, and his great service in bringing her on to such a friendly house, and her intention to pay Miss Sibby very handsomely for the accommodation she had afforded her.