At length the house was finished, and with much rejoicing the Bull
family, deserting their squalid huts, moved into it at the commencement
of the hot season. After the first agitations of the change and of the
arrangement of the furniture newly-arrived by wagon, they settled down
very comfortably, directing all their energies towards the development
of the garden, which had already been brought into some rough order
during the building of the house.
One difficulty, however, arose at once. For some mysterious reason they
found that not a single native servant would sleep in the place, no, not
even Tabitha's personal attendant, who adored her. Every soul of them
suddenly developed a sick mother or other relative who would instantly
expire if deprived of the comfort of their society after dark. Or else
they themselves became ailing at that hour, saying they could not sleep
upon a cliff like a rock-rabbit.
At any rate, for one cause or another off they went the very moment that
the sun vanished behind the western hills, nor did they re-appear until
it was well up above those that faced towards the east.
At least this happened for one night. On the following day, however, a
pleasant-looking woman named Ivana, whom they knew to be of good
repute, though of doubtful religion, as sometimes she came to church
and sometimes she did not, appeared and offered her services as
"night-dog"--that is what she called it--to Tabitha, saying that she did
not mind sleeping on a height.
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