hin.

"After all, it's just as well that I should have this money by me as
that I should give it to Florence Aylmer," she said to herself. "I must
think of some other way to tempt her, and the money will be useful. I
shall put it back into the post-office and wait awhile. She is certain
to go to London, and equally certain to fail. I can tempt her with some
of my stories. I will manage to get her address. Yes, clever as you
think yourself, Florence, you will be in my power, and before many weeks
are over."

CHAPTER XII.

ALONE IN LONDON.

Florence and Kitty left Dawlish the next day and went to Southampton.
There they met Colonel Sharston, and Florence had the great bliss of
seeing Kitty's intense happiness with her father. They stayed at a hotel
at Southampton for the best part of a week, and then the three went to
London. Kitty and her father were going to Switzerland for a month's
holiday. They begged of Florence to go with them, but nothing would
induce her to accept the invitation.

"I know well that Colonel Sharston even now is far from rich," she said
to herself. "I will not let Kitty feel that I have put myself upon her."

So very firmly she declined the invitation, and one short week after she
had bidden her mother good bye at Dawlish she found herself alone in
London. She had seen Kitty and Colonel Sharston off by the night train
to Dover, and left the great railway-station slowly and sadly.

"Now I have to fight the battle. Shall I fail or shall I succeed?" she
said to herself.

She had taken a bed-room in a large house which was let out in small
rooms. It was one of the first houses that had been let out in flats for
women in London, and Florence considered herself very fortunate in being
able to take up her quarters there. There was a large restaurant
downstairs, where the girls who lived in the house could have their
meals provided at low prices.

Florence's bed-room was fairly neat, but very small and sparsely
furnished. It was an attic room, of course, for she could only afford
the cheapest apartment. She had exactly twenty pounds wherewith to
support herself until fortune's ball rolled her way. She felt confident
enough. She had been well educated; she had taken certain diplomas which
ought to enable her to get a good situation as a teacher; but if there
was one thing which poor Florence disliked it was the thought of
imparting knowledge to others. If she could obtain a secretaryship