rid wall-paper with those hideous flowers
that aren't like any flowers that ever grew in a garden?'

Stella gave a sigh, which, in spite of all her resolutions to be brave,
she could not suppress. 'It is not very comfortable here, to be sure;
but I don't know where else to go. There is a large kind of ladies'
residential club near here, but I do not know if we should like it, and
we should have no private sitting-room; so you would have to prepare
your lessons in your bedroom, which I dislike,' she replied.

'Oh that would be horrid; the room would get so hot and stuffy, and we
should not sleep. I wish we could have a little house of our own. I am
sure there must be little houses to let that we could afford, like the
one Dr M'Farlane's sisters lived in at Lomore.'

'We will go and have a look to-morrow on our way home,' said Stella,
smiling. She was glad of something to look forward to besides going to
the City. She had only had one day of it; but she disliked it intensely,
and asked herself how she was to bear her life with nothing but this to
look forward to through the long years. Yet, if she had but known it,
she was extremely fortunate, and her lot was a far better one than it
might have been but for the influence of kind friends.

And so the two tired heads were laid down to rest, intending, in their
ignorance, to look for a small house which they could rent, and which
would be more comfortable and no more expensive than their present
abode. Next day, however, was wet, and they had quite enough walking to
the City and back, and came in at five o'clock, with another long
evening before them, lightened in Stella's case by a book from the
library of her City Club for Lady-Clerks; so that it was not until
Friday that the two girls looked about on their way home for a small
house to let.

Vava, who seemed singularly uncommunicative about her life at school,
was quite eager in the search for this ideal small house, and looked up
each street they passed by to see if there were any prospect of its
being found there.

'I think, Vava, it will be no use looking so near the City. Mrs. Ryan
tells me that rents are very high here; Westminster is a cheaper part,'
said Stella.

'Still, there's no harm in looking, I'm sure. I have seen quite small
houses that can't cost much,' said Vava; and at last she cried out with
delight at sight of quite a small-looking house, jammed between two
large buildings, which bore the words,