come with you?' suggested Vava.

'No! What for? I shall know your handwriting; there is no need for you
to be there, and I should think it would be rather uncomfortable for
you,' said Stella, lifting her eyebrows.

'I sha'n't feel uncomfortable. I feel quite at home with Mr. Jones, and
I think I could ask for the letter back much better than you,' persisted
Vava.

'Why?' inquired Stella, getting annoyed at her sister's persistence.

'Because it is my letter, and one has more right to ask for one's own
letter than for other people's. Perhaps he'll refuse to give it to you;
he'll think it will get me into a row,' suggested Vava.

'In that case I shall walk straight out of his office,' declared Stella,
very angry at this last suggestion of Vava's.

'For goodness' sake don't do that, Stella! Leave the letter alone. Mr.
Jones is much too gentlemanly to take any notice of what I said;
besides, he knew it all before,' said Vava.

But Stella, who had calmed down, ignored this advice. 'You did not mean
any harm, Vava, and it must be very difficult for an impulsive girl like
you to think before you say or do things; you will know better when you
are older,' was all she said.

But Vava saw her sister start off with many misgivings, which she
imparted to the housekeeper. 'Mr. Jones won't like Stella going and
looking over his private correspondence. You know City men don't like
their lady-clerks taking liberties of that kind,' she declared.

'Miss Stella is not one to take a liberty,' affirmed the housekeeper.

'She may not think it a liberty, but it is one, and I should not be
surprised if they quarrelled over it, because she really is rather
disagreeable to him; and I don't see why she need have made all that
fuss, nor why she would not let me go myself,' argued Vava.

'Miss Vava, my bairn, you think too much of yourself and your wits. I
know you are quicker than your elder sister, but that's not to say you
have more brains; and, even if you had, you have not as much knowledge
as she has,' Mrs. Morrison admonished her.

Vava was just going to say that she had more sense about some things,
but happily she abstained; and having finished her breakfast she went to
the window to look out for Doreen, who had promised to call for her.

The other two girls went to town by a later train; so Vava, seeing
Doreen coming out of her gate, called out good-bye to Amy and Eva, and
went to meet her friend.

'Isn't Miss Wharton com