“It seems too bad that we have to meet a repetition of all that trouble, is it not?”
“Yes; and I want to arrange so that there will be no possibility of a third effort on their part, after we have headed them off on this one. I have made up my mind that there is only one way to accomplish that thoroughly, and at the same time to be sure that I am affording you, as well as the other members of your family, all the protection possible, and so I have come here to-day to make a strange request of you.”
“Say, rather, a command,” she said brightly, “for I already see that you will insist upon it.”
“Very well; put it that way. Is it true that you have taken the cares of the conduct of your household equally from the shoulders of your father and mother? In short, that you are the one who is consulted when there is any change to be made in the personnel of your service at home?”
“Quite so. My father never did bother with the home part of his existence, and my mother leaves it all to me.”
“How do you like your present butler?”
“I am afraid that I do not understand.”
“That’s easy. I want you to fire him and give me the job.”
“Mr. Carter, I——”
“Well, you need not fire him; just give him a vacation. Let him go home and see his parents, or something like that. I want to fill his place. Don’t you understand?”