"As the guardian of Miss Natalie, you mean?"
"Just so, sir."
"How long have you been here, Sexton?"
"Sixteen years, sir."
"You knew Miss Natalie's father then, and must enjoy the place to remain so long?"
"It has been very pleasant, sir, until the last month or so," regretfully, yet evidently glad of the opportunity to talk, lingering with one hand on the knob of the door. "Since then things haven't been just the same."
"In what way?"
"Well, I don't exactly know, sir. Miss Natalie seems to change her mind, an' we never can please her. That's the trouble mostly. Last night I waited up until you all went to bed, an' then locked the house, the way she told me to. But that didn't suit her at all, for she stopped me on the stairs, an' made me go back an' leave the side door unlocked—just said she'd attend to that herself."
"Miss Natalie told you? You are sure, Sexton?"
"Oh, it was her, sir; there was a light burning in the hall, an' she was all dressed up as though she was goin' out. 'Taint the first time, either. I ain't got no right to say anything, but it puzzles me what she wants to go out for at that time o' night. And I thought maybe I ought to speak to Mr. Percival Coolidge about it."