? Yes, she has," said Mrs. Lessways, glancing
round at the red fire.

Hilda sat down to wait, folding her hands as it were in meekness. In a
few moments Florrie entered with the teapot and the hot-water jug. The
child wore proudly a new white apron that was a little too long for her,
and she smiled happily at Mrs. Lessways' brief compliment on her
appearance and her briskness. She might have been in paradise.

"Come in for your cup in three minutes," said Mrs. Lessways; and to
Hilda when Florrie had whispered and gone: "Now we shall see if she can
make tea. I told her very particularly this morning, and she seems quick
enough."

And when three minutes had expired Mrs. Lessways tasted the tea. Yes, it
was good. It was quite good. Undeniably the water had boiled within five
seconds of being poured on the leaves. There was something _in_ this
Florrie. Already she was exhibiting the mysterious quality of
efficiency. The first day, being the first day, had of course not been
without its discouraging moments, but on the whole Florrie had proved
that she could be trusted to understand, and to do things.

"Here's an extra piece of sugar for you," said Mrs. Lessways, beaming,
as Florrie left the parlour with her big breakfast-cup full of steaming
tea, to drink with the thick bread-and-butter on the scrubbed kitchen-
table, all by herself. "And don't touch the gas in the kitchen--it's
quite high enough for young eyes," Mrs. Lessways cried out after her.

"Little poppet!" she murmured to herself, maternally reflecting upon
Florence's tender youth.

III

She was happy, was Mrs. Lessways, in her domesticity. She foresaw an
immediate future that would be tranquil. She was preparing herself to
lean upon the reliability of Florrie as upon a cushion. She liked the
little poppet. And she liked well-made tea and pure jelly. And she had
settled the Calder Street problem; and incidentally Hilda was thereby
placated. Why should she not be happy? She wished for nothing else. And
she was not a woman to meet trouble half-way. One of her greatest
qualities was that she did not unduly worry. (Hilda might say that she
did not worry enough, letting things go.) In spite of her cold, she
yielded with more gusto than usual to the meal, and even said that if
Florrie 'continued to shape' they would have hot toast again. Hot toast
had long since been dropped from the menu, as an item too troublesome.
As a rule the meals were taken hurriedly and