her: only she's a very queer sort."

That evening Mrs. Aylmer wrote to Bertha Keys thanking her effusively
for the parcel, telling her that she felt that she owed her lovely silk
dress to her, and further thanking her for the sovereigns. The letter
ran as follows:--

"I am not proud, my dear; and a little extra money comes in
extremely handy. I mean to give a party and to show my
neighbours that I am as good as any of them. It will be a
return for many little kindnesses on their part, and will
ensure me a comfortable winter. I shall have so many
invitations to tea when they see me in that silk dress, and eat
the excellent cakes, muffins, and crumpets, etc., which I shall
provide for them, that they won't dare to cut me in the future.

"If you want dear Florence's address, here it is--12, Prince's
Mansions, Westminster. She has taken a room in a sort of common
lodging-house, and I understand from the way she has written to
me that she is in one of the attics. It seems a sad pity that
the dear child should pinch herself as she does, and if you,
Miss Keys, could add to your other virtues that of effecting a
reconciliation between Florence and her aunt by marriage, you
would indeed fill my cup of gratitude to the brim.

"Yours sincerely,

"MABEL AYLMER."

"P.S.--If by any chance that most charming young man, Mr.
Maurice Trevor, should be coming to Dawlish, I shall always be
pleased to give him a welcome. You might mention to him where
Florence is staying in London. He seemed to have taken quite a
fancy to her, but mum's the word, my dear. Mothers will have
dreams, you know."

CHAPTER XIII.

A WEARY WAIT.

Florence settled down in her attic, and made herself as comfortable as
circumstances would permit.

With all her faults, and she had plenty, Florence had a straightforward
sort of nature. She was alive to temptation, and when occasion rose, as
has been already seen, could and did yield to it. But just now she was
most anxious to eat the bread of independence, not to sink under the
sway of Bertha Keys, to fight her own battle, and to receive her own
well-earned reward.

She made her little attic look as neat and cheery as she could; she was
extremely saving with regard to her food, and set to work at once trying
to obtain employment.

Now, Florence honestly hated the idea of teaching