and tired! I said you would write and
invite her to come and see us here, and I promised that you would ask
her to spend next Sunday with us."

"Oh, my dear Maurice, your last Sunday with me, God only knows for how
long!"

"But you don't mind, do you, mother?"

She looked at him very earnestly. She was a wise woman in her way.

"No, I don't mind," she said; "I will ask her, of course."

"Then that is all right. Her name is Miss Florence Aylmer, and this is
her address."

"Aylmer! How strange!"

"It is all very strange, mother. I cannot understand it, and it troubles
me a good deal. She is Florence Aylmer, and she is my Mrs. Aylmer's
niece by marriage."

"Very queer," said Mrs. Trevor; "I never thought Mrs. Aylmer had any
relations. What sort of girl did you say she was?"

"Not exactly handsome, but with a taking face and a good deal of pluck
about her--and oh, mother, I believe she is starvingly poor, and she has
to earn her own living, I made her have a cup to tea and some
bread-and-butter to-night, and she ate as if she were famished. It's
awfully distressing. I really don't know what ought to be done."

CHAPTER XV.

EDITH FRANKS.

When Florence reached home she sat down for a long time in her attic,
and did not move. She was thoroughly tired, and the slight meal she had
taken at the restaurant had by no means satisfied her appetite. After
about half an hour of anxious thought, during which she looked far older
than her years, she took off her hat, and, going to her tiny chest of
drawers, unlocked one of them and took her purse out. She carefully
counted its contents. There were twelve unbroken sovereigns in the
purse, and about two pounds' worth of silver--nearly fourteen pounds in
all.

"How fast it is going!" thought the girl. "At this rate it will not see
me through the winter, and, if those terrible people at the different
registry-offices are right, I may not get any work during the whole
winter. What shall I do? I will not go back to the little Mummy, to live
upon her and prove myself a failure. I shall not ask anybody to help me.
I must, I will fight my battle alone. Oh, this hunger! What would I not
give for a good dinner."

She took up one of the shillings, and looked at it longingly. With this
in her hand, she could go down to the restaurant and have as much food
as she required. Suddenly she made up her mind.

"I must eat well for once. I must get over this hunger. I cannot hel