t, and
she found her new employer very quiet and civil. When the morning was
over, and she took him his letters, which he was thankful to find
correctly done, he showed his kindness further by saying, 'There is a
ladies' club near here where lady-clerks can go and lunch very
reasonably and comfortably; the housekeeper will show you the way, if
you like. You will find it convenient to stay there till two o'clock;
the City is a dull place for young ladies.'

Stella thanked him again, and took his advice; but when she had left the
room the junior partner got up, stretched his long limbs, for he was a
tall, athletic man, who looked more as if he should have been on a yacht
than in a City office. 'Whew! what an iceberg! And to think that that
imperial beauty is my clerk, and that I have to give her orders from ten
to four, and be repressed and snubbed by her! As if I wanted to take a
liberty! Why, I dare not even mention the weather! Well, so be it; she's
a good typist, and has a good business head for all it's so
pretty.--Well, Mrs. Ryan, what is it? Come in. Did you take Miss Wharton
to the Enterprise Club--isn't that its name?'

'Yes, sir, I did, and right glad she was to be in such a place, so
bright and comfortable, poor, sweet young lady. But I came to ask you,
sir, couldn't she begin at half-past nine and stop at half-past three?'
inquired the kind-hearted Irishwoman, explaining about Vava and her
hours.

'H'm, it would suit her better, no doubt; but I don't know about me. Oh
yes, I could leave her work to do. By all means. Thanks for telling me;
I'll arrange it,' said the junior partner kindly, and added, 'And take
the little sister into your room if we have not quite finished, Mrs.
Ryan; the waiting-room is no place for her, if she is anything like her
sister.'

'The City's no place for either of them, Mr. James; but they could not
have found a better master than you, go where they might,' said the good
woman.

Mr. James laughed; but he did not like to hear himself spoken of as
Stella's master, and thought with a grim smile how angry she would have
been if she had heard the expression.

The clerks meanwhile had a subject for conversation which kept their
tongues wagging in an undertone, to the neglect of their work.

'The new lady-clerk! Who would have believed it? And she gave me her
card for all the world like a duchess.' Here there was a snigger, and
one of his fellow-clerks asked how duchesses gave thei