the history of the foundation of the school to her two listeners, till
Stella stopped her.

'Now, Vava, we must not keep Mrs. Ryan.--My sister does not understand
that the City is the place for business, not for paying visits or
amusing one's self; and you might tell her that she must not make
acquaintance with strangers,' said Stella, turning to Mrs. Ryan.

Mrs. Ryan raised her hands in amazement at such imprudence. 'Indeed no.
There was a young girl I knew up from the country, and one day she was
taking her ticket at one of the London stations, and there was rather a
crowd, so, being timid, she stepped back and waited; then who should
come up to her but a gentleman, as she called him, and, taking off his
hat as polite as could be, says, "Can I take your ticket for you, miss?
It's not fit for you to be pushing into a rough crowd like that;" and
she, like the silly she was, thanks him and hands him her purse with all
her week's money in it; and off he goes.' Here Mrs. Ryan ended, and
nodded her head at Vava.

But Vava in her innocence did not understand the moral of the story, and
said simply, 'That was very kind of him?'

'Yes, very kind! But he never got the ticket, and the poor girl never
saw her purse nor the kind gentleman again,' explained Mrs. Ryan.

Vava's eyes were wide with horror. 'What a wicked, cruel man! But
everybody can't be wicked like that!' she cried.

'No, indeed; thank God, there are many good people here; but there are
rogues as well, and as you are too young to know the one from the other
you must not talk to any of them,' Mrs. Ryan said.

The story made Vava very thoughtful. 'I wonder whether Mr. Jones is a
rogue?' she said musingly.

But Mrs. Ryan was scandalised. 'Sakes alive, miss, don't say such a
thing in his own office! He is one of the best and most respected
gentlemen in the City of London, as I well know, having worked for him
and his father this thirty years!' she exclaimed.

'Vava lets her tongue run away with her.--Come, Vava, we really must be
going,' said Stella hastily, and she took her younger sister off with
her.

It was dusk now, but the two enjoyed their walk back along the
Embankment, for it did not occur to them to take a bus or train; three
miles was nothing to them. Moreover, they had had tea, and were in no
hurry to get back to their cramped lodgings. It was well that Vava could
not see her sister's amused smile, which broke out several times on the
way home at