o friendly with Vava to resent her familiarity. But this morning the
one thought that possessed her was that she must get that letter
whatever happened. She could never face Mr. Jones after he had been
asked by her younger sister to put up with her stiffness because she was
poor and could not help it. So when his step was heard she just waited
until he was in his office and had time to take off his hat and coat,
and then she knocked at the door.

There was a murmur of voices within, and then the head-clerk opened the
door, and said to Mr. Jones, 'Miss Wharton, sir.'

'Oh come in, Miss Wharton. I am late this morning, and your letters are
not ready for you yet,' he replied.

'I should like to speak to you before you open them, if you please,' she
said.

'Certainly, come in and sit down.--I'll see you in a few minutes,
Leighton,' he added to the head-clerk.

'Excuse me, sir, but I want to speak to you too, and perhaps my
twenty-five years' service may give me the right of precedence,' said
Mr. Leighton, who was not very tactful.

'Not of a lady, Leighton. I expect your business can wait,' said Mr.
Jones, turning civilly to Stella.

'I'm afraid it can't, sir; it has to do with Miss Wharton'----he began.

Stella had always thought the junior partner one of the easiest-going
and most good-tempered of men, and she was startled by the look of anger
that came into his face and his stern voice as he replied, 'You can have
nothing to do with this lady. I thought I made that understood.--I hope
you have not been annoyed in any way?' he continued to Stella.

But Stella, though she was annoyed with the senior clerk for his
persistence, and rather angry that he should be there to complain of
her, was too just not to know that it was her own fault, and she said in
her proud way, 'Not in the least, thank you. On the contrary, I am
afraid I annoyed your clerk by asking for your letters. I did not know
it was against the rules.'

'So it is, Mr. Jones, without your authority,' began Mr. Leighton,
anxious to defend himself.

But Mr. Jones cut him short. 'It's all right, Leighton; I quite
understand how the mistake arose. Miss Wharton wished to get on with her
letters; and, knowing she has our complete confidence, she thought she
could ask for such a simple thing. If she ever makes any request in
future, remember she has my authority,' he said.

Mr. Leighton left the room with a 'Very good, sir.' But he was far from
thinking