es
and a yard. Mrs Ellis opened the door. Mavis, with a sense of elation,
saw that she was a trim, elderly, kindly-looking body.

The girl explained what she wanted. She learned that there was a small
bedroom at the back to let; also, that she could have the use of the
downstairs sitting-room, in which was a piano.

"Would you very much mind if I had one or two pupils?" asked Mavis.

"Not a bit, miss. I like young people myself, and look on music as
company."

"I'd like to see the bedroom."

Mrs Ellis took Mavis upstairs, where the girl was delighted to find
that the room was pleasant-looking and scrupulously clean.

"It's only a question of terms," said Mavis hesitatingly.

"You'd better see the sitting-room and try the piano, miss, before you
decide," remarked Mrs Ellis.

They went downstairs to another room at the back of the house; this was
adequate, although Mavis noticed that it was stuffy. Perhaps the
landlady suspected the girl's thoughts on the matter, for she said:

"I have the window shut to keep out dust and smell from the yard, miss."

Mavis, satisfied with this explanation, looked through the window, and
saw that the yard was much bigger than she had believed it to be. Three
or four men in corduroys were lounging about and chaffing each other.

"You try the piano, miss; I shan't keep you a moment," said Mrs Ellis,
who, also, had looked out of the window.

Mavis, left to herself, did as she was bid. She found the piano,
although well past its prime, to be better than the generality of those
that she had already tried. She got up and again looked out of the
window, when she saw that the men, whom she had previously seen idling
in the yard, were now hard at work.

The next moment, Mrs Ellis, looking rather hot, re-entered the room.

"I've had to talk to my men," she said.

"You employ them?" asked Mavis.

"Yes, the lazy rascals. It was my husband's business, but since he died
I've kept it on."

"You must be very clever."

"It wants managing. You didn't open the window, miss?" This question
was asked anxiously.

"No."

"How much did you wish to pay, miss?"

Mavis explained that she didn't wish to pay more than five shillings a
week for a bedroom, but after some discussion it was agreed that she
should pay six shillings a week, which would include the use of the
sitting-room, together with a morning bath, bathrooms not having been
supplied to Mrs Ellis's house.

"I'm letting it go r