It was an organ! It was the courageous rival of the ineffable _Signal_, its natural enemy! One day it would trample on the _Signal_! And though her role was humble, though she understood scarcely anything of the enterprise beyond her own duties, yet she was very proud of her role too.

And she was glad that the men were seemingly so careless, so disorderly, so forgetful of details, so--in a word--childish! For it was part of her role to remind them, to set them right, to watch over their carelessness, to restore order where they had left disorder.

In so far as her role affected them, she condescended to them.
She informed George Cannon of her mother's indisposition, and that she meant to go to London the next morning, and to return most probably in a few days.

He stopped in his walk, near her.

Like herself, he was not seriously concerned about Mrs.Lessways, but he showed a courteous sympathy.
"It's a good thing you didn't go to London when your mother went," he said, after a little conversation.
He did not add: "You've been indispensable." He had no air of apologizing for his insult at the tea-table.