When Sophia had come into the room alone with the baby, she had asked the girl one or two questions, and been answered civilly enough; but when the rest of the family followed, the girl relapsed into silence, and, after regarding them for a little while, she edged her way out of the room.
Mrs.Rexford, who in the excitement of change and bustle was always subject to being struck with ideas which would not have occurred to her mind at other times, suddenly remembered now that they were dependent upon the resources of the new country for domestic service, and that she had heard that no chance of securing a good servant must be lost, as they were very rare.

Stating her thought hastily to Sophia, and darting to the narrow door without waiting for a reply, she stretched out her head with an ebullition of registry-office questions.
"My good girl!" she cried, "my good girl!" The girl came back nearer the door and stood still.
"Do you happen to know of a girl about your age who can do kitchen work ?" "I don't know any one here.

I'm travelling." "But perhaps you would do for me yourself"-- this half aside--"Can you make a fire, keep pots clean, and scour floors ?" "Yes." She did not express any interest in her assent.
"Where are you going?
Would you not like to come with me and enter my service?
I happen to be in need of just such a girl as you." No answer.
"She doesn't understand, mamma," whispered the grey-eyed girl in a short frock, who, having wedged herself beside her mother in the narrow doorway, was the only one who could see or hear the colloquy.

"Speak slower to the poor thing." "Looks very stupid," commented Mrs.Rexford, hastily pulling in her head and speaking within the room.

"But still, one must not lose a chance." Then with head again outside, she continued, "Do you understand me, my good girl?
What is your name ?" "Eliza White." "That is a very good name"-- encouragingly.