So, with a girl at each corner of each box, we struggled up stairs. Mine was not very heavy, but Gertie's was; and one girl let her corner slip, which threw us all into confusion, and in the midst of the hurly-burly we became aware of a majestic presence at the head of the stairs, and there stood—Miss Coningham, the first assistant. Our hearts stood still, for we had not asked permission; but Sallie, whom nothing overcomes, saved us.
"Oh, Miss Coningham," she called, "do come and help us;" and she actually stepped down and caught it as the girls were losing control of it, and engineered it into our sitting-room.
You know we five Aegises have one sitting-room, with three bedrooms opening out of it. As she turned to go, I thought I saw in her face a longing to stay, and be a girl with the rest of us, and I said,
"Don't go, Miss Coningham; stay and see what is in the boxes."
"Thank you; I know you will enjoy yourselves more alone. Madame told me to give you five young ladies permission to have supper in your own room to-night."
"Why?" we all cried. "What made her?"
"Because it is Miss Wood's birthday."
"My birthday!" cried Gertie, in amaze. "I didn't once think of it;" while the girls flew at her ears.
"I don't see how any one could forget such a thing—do you, Miss Coningham?" I asked, as she stood in the door.
"No; I could not forget mine," she said. "This is mine too."