"The lady, what lady?" asked Molly quickly.
But Alice could only shake her head.
"Did she go up to see your mistress?" asked Annie.
"Yes, ma'am. She said she knowed the missis ever so long, and she did too, for I heard the misses say, 'Oh, Mary!' And then I come downstairs and let 'em have their row to themselves."
The two girls stood and looked at Alice in amazement.
"What do you mean?" said Molly angrily.
"I ain't saying no harm, Miss Molly, for it's true as I'm here that the lady and the missis had a jolly row, and then the lady went away, and I began my sauce-pans with that silver sand I bought of the man."
But while Molly was questioning and listening to Alice, Annie ran upstairs to her mother's room, and Molly and Alice both heard her calling, "Mamma! Mamma! Where are you? Where are you hiding?"
Molly ran up then, closely followed by the little servant.
"Well, if this don't beat all!" she exclaimed, as she stood staring in at the sitting-room door.