"I guess I'll have some of the chickens and oysters," said Timmins; "that will be the nicest for her and a muffin or two."
"Now, James, do you hear?" said the chambermaid; "I want you to get me now, right away, a nice little supper of chickens and oysters, and a muffin it's for a lady upstairs. Be as quick as you can."
"I should be very happy to execute impossibilities for you,
Miss Johns, but Mrs. Custers is at the table herself."
"Very well that's nothing she'll think it's for somebody upstairs and so it is."
"Ay, but the upstairs people is Tim's business I should be hauled over the coals directly."
"Then ask Tim, will you? How slow you are! Now, James, if you don't, I won't speak to you again."
"Till to-morrow? I couldn't stand that. It shall be done,
Miss Johns, instantum."
Bowing and smiling, away went James, leaving the girls giggling on the staircase, and highly gratified.
"He always does what I want him to," said the good-humoured chambermaid, "but he generally makes a fuss about it first. He'll be back directly with what you want."
Till he came, Miss Timmins filled up the time with telling her new friend as much as she knew about Ellen and Ellen's hardships; with which Miss Johns was so much interested, that she declared she must go up and see her; and when James in a few minutes returned with a tray of nice things, the two women proceeded together to Mrs. Dunscombe's room. Ellen had moved so far as to put herself on the floor with her head on the cushion for a pillow, but she was as sound asleep as ever.