servant’s sudden departure for reasons unknown, had, to use Mrs. Poulter’s words, ‘put the coping-stone to the edifice.’ The newspaper grievance was this. The _Morning Post_ was provided by Miss Toller for her boarders. Mrs. Poulter was always the first to take it, and her claim as senior resident was not challenged. One morning, however, Mrs. Mudge, after fidgeting for a whole hour, while Mrs. Poulter leisurely scanned every paragraph from the top of the first page down to the bottom of the last, suggested that the paper should be divided, as other people might wish to see it. Mrs. Poulter dropped her eye-glass and handed Mrs. Mudge the outside sheet, with the remark that if she would but have intimated politely that she was in a hurry, she could have had it before. ‘I’m in no hurry,’ Mrs. Mudge replied, ‘and you don’t seem to be in any. Thank you; this is not the bit I want; you needn’t trouble; I can order a paper myself.’ The next day there was a _Standard_ for Mrs. Mudge, who with some malice immediately offered it to Mr. Goacher. Mrs. Poulter glared at him, and after a little hesitation he expressed his obligation but preferred to wait, as he had a letter to write which must be dispatched immediately. Mrs. Poulter never forgot Mrs. Mudge’s spite, as she called it; the _Standard_ reminded her of it daily. Mr. Goacher agreed with Mrs. Poulter that, for the reasons she gave, it would be desirable to remove from Russell House. He also felt that, as a clergyman, he would do wisely in leaving, for he could not ascribe the disappearance of ‘the domestic’ to anything but a consciousness of guilt. Miss Taggart considered that Mrs. Mudge’s conduct was due to defective training. As to Helen, Miss Taggart added that ‘you never feel yourself secure against moral delinquency in the classes from which servants are drawn. They have no basis.’ ‘I understand,’ said Mrs. Poulter, ‘that Helen is a Dissenter.’ Miss Taggart, as the reader has been told, was not particularly fond of Mrs. Poulter and Mr. Goacher, but to stay with Mrs. Mudge and Miss Everard was impossible. She had also once or twice received a hint from Miss Toller that perhaps she had better suit herself elsewhere, as the minute attention she demanded to her little needs, of which there were many, was trying both to mistress and servant. Miss Toller was promptly informed that three of her lodgers were going at the end of the month. ‘I hope, Mrs. Poulter, that you are not dissatisfied. I have no doubt I shall soon be able to obtain assistance.’ _Mrs. P._ ‘Our reasons, Miss Toller, had better not be communicated; they are sufficient. Against you personally we have nothing to object.’ _Miss T._ ‘Have you searched the box which I understand has been left?’ _Miss Toller_. ‘Have you missed anything, ma’am?’ _Miss T._ ‘Not at present. I might discover my loss when it was too late.’ _Mr. G._ ‘It would be better for the protection of all of us.’