ave told me, for I went to your little room as
usual to fetch you, and there was Mr. Jones typing his own letters,'
retorted Vava with an injured air.

As it happened, she was getting the best of it, for Stella, who was not
at all pleased at this news, could not scold her for going there;
besides, it made the elder sister rather uncomfortable to know how her
sudden departure had inconvenienced her late employer. But not yet would
she own herself to be in the wrong. 'I hope you did not stop and talk,'
she remarked.

'I asked where you were, and Mr. Jones told me you had left; but he
would not keep me, he said, as he knew you disliked him'----replied
Vava.

'Vava, what do you mean?' interrupted her sister.

'If you had let me finish I was going to say, "being friends with me,"'
said Vava.

'Then you should talk grammatically; it is not "him being friends" but
"his being friends."'

'Well, he isn't either, so it does not matter,' replied Vava testily,
for she was very sorry about it all, and this made her cross.

The next morning's post brought Stella three letters. One was from the
junior partner, which she opened first, though why it should have
interested her does not seem clear, as she had finished with him and
would not return to him on any account; perhaps she wished to be asked
at least.

If so, she was disappointed. Mr. Jones's note was short and formal.
Stella had begun her letter of resignation 'Dear Sir;' but Mr. Jones
replied:

'DEAR MISS WHARTON,--I beg to acknowledge your letter tendering
your resignation as secretary, which I accept in the name of the
firm; also the five shillings, which you return under some
misapprehension. I regret your departure, and shall find it
difficult to supply the place you have so admirably filled. I also
regret that you should hold the opinion of me that you do, and
trust you will some day modify your views. I shall be glad to
answer any one you refer to me.--Yours faithfully,

'JAMES JONES.'

Stella felt a distinct sensation of disappointment as she laid this
letter down. The next pleased her no better. 'What have my movements in
the City got to do with them?' she exclaimed involuntarily.

'With whom?' asked Vava.

'The Montague Joneses,' replied Stella, handing over to her sister the
note, in which Mrs. Jones hoped that her change of employment would not
interfere with her promise to dine with them next Friday, as