ul tone.

"But what are you going to do, Flo?"

"I am going to earn my living," replied Florence stoutly.

"Of course; but how?"

"I shall talk things over with you and the Mummy. I have left school at
last for good. What a blessing it is that I shall not have anything to
do with Aunt Susan! I feel so jolly independent; but I should like to
meet her and--"

"Girls, supper is ready," called out Mrs. Aylmer's voice from below, and
the two ran downstairs.

The meal was very merry; the old schoolfellows were glad to be together.
Mrs. Aylmer chatted in very much the way she had chatted six years ago.
She could not help constantly alluding to Mrs. Aylmer the great.

"I have not seen her," she said; "but she sends me my money regularly
once a quarter--twelve pounds ten shillings. She never misses a day, I
will say that for her, and I think I am a very good manager not to be
one farthing in debt."

"You are perfectly splendid, mother," replied Florence.

"She has never once asked for you; she said she would not, and she has
kept her word," continued Mrs. Aylmer.

"Well, mother, does it matter?" replied the daughter.

"They say, too," continued the little Mummy--and here she heaved a heavy
sigh--"that she has adopted a young man as her heir. I have never seen
him, but his name is Maurice Trevor. He is no relation of any sort, and
goodness knows why she has adopted him. They say he is a very pushing
and a very designing young man, and that he twists poor Susan round his
little finger. I know she sent him to Cambridge and spent an enormous
sum on him there--two or three hundred a year at the very least--and now
he has returned and lives with her, and is to take the management of her
estates. She has been buying a lot of fresh property; but there--I am
sick of the subject. You didn't play your cards well, Florence; you
ought to have been in the position which young Mr. Trevor occupies."

"I am glad I am not," replied Florence; "I'm twice the girl for being
independent. Mother, Kitty and I want to go out and have a walk by the
seashore."

"Do, my dear, do; I have a great deal to contrive and manage, and
Susan's temper is not what it was. Oh, don't breathe it too loud. I
wouldn't part with her for the world; but really she does rule me.
She'll be as cross as two sticks because we sat so long over supper. Do
go; it is a lovely evening."

So the two girls put on their hats and went out. There was a silver moon
shining