e entered.

"That is right," said Edith Franks; "I am right glad to see you. What do
you think of my diggings--nice, eh?"

"Oh, you are comfortable here," said Florence, with the ghost of a sigh,
for truly the room, as compared with her own, looked absolutely
luxurious. There was a comfortable sofa, which Miss Franks told her
afterwards she had contrived out of a number of old packing-cases, and
there was a deep straw armchair lined with chintz and abundantly
cushioned, and on a table pushed against the wall and on the mantelpiece
were jars full of lovely flowers--roses, verbena, sweetbriar, and
quantities of pinks. The room was fragrant with these flowers, and
Florence gave a great sigh as she smelt them.

"Oh, how sweet!" she said.

"Yes; I put this verbena on the little round table near the sofa; you
are to lie on the sofa. Come: put up your feet this minute."

"But I really don't want to," said Florence, protesting, and beginning
to laugh.

"But I want you to. You can do as you please in the restaurant, and you
can do as you please in your own diggings, but in mine you are to do as
I wish. Now then, up go your feet. I am making the most delicious cocoa
by a new recipe. I bought a spirit-lamp this morning. You cannot think
how clever I am over all sorts of cooking."

"But what are those things on that table?" said Florence.

"Oh, some of my medical tools. I do a tiny bit of dissecting now and
then--nothing very dreadful. I have nothing to-night of the least
importance, so you need not shudder. I want to devote myself to you."

Florence could not but own that it was nice to be waited on. The sofa
made out of packing-cases was extremely soft and comfortable. Miss
Franks put pillows for her guest's comfort and laid a light couvre-pied
over her feet.

"Now then," she said, "a little gentle breeze is coming in at the
window, and the roses and pinks and mignonette will smell more sweetly
still as the night advances. I will not light the lamp yet, for there is
splendid moonlight, and it is such a witching hour. I can make the cocoa
beautifully by moonlight. It will be quite romantic to do so, and then
afterwards I will show you my charming reading-lamp. I have a lamp with
a green shade lined with white, the best possible thing for the eyes. I
will make you a shade when I have time. Now then, watch me make the
cocoa, or, if you prefer it, look out of the window and let the moon
soothe your ruffled feelings."

"