t the
letter, so as to save Stella trouble, and this she accordingly did, as
there happened to be a pillar-box just outside the front-gate.

Stella, who was still putting down the stair-carpet, heard the gate
click, and observed, 'Oh dear, I hope that nobody is coming; they can't
come through the hall.'

'No, it is only Vava; she is posting a letter,' replied Eva, who from
the top stair, where she was folding newspapers to form pads, could see
the front-gate and road.

Stella stopped abruptly in her work. 'I wouldn't'----she began; and
then, dropping the hammer, she continued, 'I will be back in a minute,
Miss Overall; I just want to speak to Vava,' and went into the
sitting-room to await her sister.

Vava saw her through the bay-window, and went in to her, saying
cheerfully, 'I've written the letter and posted it and everything.'

'Why did you not show it to me first?' demanded Stella.

'Why should I? I never thought of it. Besides, you never read my
letters; you always say you trust me,' said Vava.

'So I do; but you do sometimes say things you had better not have said,
and as this is my business I think you should have brought the letter to
me. What did you say in it?'

Upon reflection, Vava was not sure that she wanted to tell Stella what
she had written, and upon further reflection she began to doubt whether
she ought to have written it. 'I told him you thanked him for his offer
of holiday, and that you were busy putting down the stair-carpet, so had
told me to write, and that you would be there on Monday at the usual
time. That's all I said about you--I mean about your business. The rest
of the letter was just a friendly one from myself,' she said.

This was just what Stella was afraid of, and she exclaimed, 'I never
told you to say what I was doing.'

'I told him that,' interrupted Vava.

Stella was speechless for a moment; then she continued, in a tone of
exasperation, 'Will you please tell me what you did say, Vava?'

'It's got nothing to do with you. Mr. Jones has been very kind to me,
and I just wrote him a friendly letter; but it sounds silly repeated.
Don't bother about it, Stella; if you were so particular about the
letter you should have written it yourself,' retorted Vava.

'I wish I had--I wish to goodness I had!' she exclaimed, and went out of
the room.

Vava felt rather uncomfortable for a time; and then, saying to herself
that Stella made a great fuss about nothing, she went off to t