Althea's mother had died in Dresden, and Althea had been equipped by anxious friends with this competent attendant for her sad return journey.

Amelie had proved intelligent and reliable in the highest degree, and though she had made herself rather disagreeable during her first year in Boston, she had stayed on ever since.

She still made herself disagreeable from time to time, and Althea had sometimes lacked only the courage to dismiss her; but she could hardly imagine herself existing without Amelie, and in Europe Amelie was seldom disagreeable.

In Europe, at the worst, she was gruff and ungracious, and Althea was fond enough of her to ignore these failings, although they frightened her a little; but though an easily intimidated person, and much at a loss in meeting opposition or rudeness, she was also tenacious.

She might be frightened, but people could never make her do what she didn't want to do, not even Amelie.