EFFIE'S BUSINESS 223 



and even to Norah and Mrs Driscoll, who were 

 listening outside. 



" I only said 'April Fool,' " replied Effie, who 

 had passed now into the sniffing stage, a wan smile 

 lighting up her countenance. 



" Did you put any address on the paper? ' 



" No. You remember, when I wrote to him 

 last year on the first of April, and you said I ought 

 to put 'April x\ss'? — well, I put 'April Fool,' 

 just the same as then." 



" He'll know her writing," groaned French, 

 speaking aloud, yet to himseK. Then, as if 

 fearing to trust himself to speak to the child, 

 he turned and told the servants in the passage 

 to begone to their beds. 



" Come with me," he said to Miss Grimshaw, 

 when Effie had at last lain down, eased of her sin 

 and its terrors. " Come into the sitting-room." 



They went into the sitting-room, and Mr 

 French put his candle on the table. 



" Here's a kettle of fish," said he. 



" She put no address on the paper," said Miss 

 Grimshaw, " but — " 



" The post-mark." 



" Yes, the post-mark. I was thinking of that. 

 There is one comfort, however; the post-mark 

 may be illegible. You know how difficult it is 

 to read a post-mark very often." 



" Listen to me," said French, with dramatic 

 emphasis. "This post-mark won't be illegible; 

 it will be as plain as Nelson's Pillar. I know it, 



