oman that she absolutely made
up her mind to lay siege to no less a person than Mrs. Aylmer the great.

It was easy for her to do this. Mrs. Aylmer had not noticed her on that
auspicious occasion when all the girls of the school were collected in
Sir John Wallis's fine old house. The part that Bertha had played in the
affair, which had lowered her niece in her eyes for ever, was very
slightly impressed on her memory. There was a pupil teacher who had not
behaved right, but what the name of that pupil teacher was had never
sunk into the good lady's memory.

She was terribly disappointed about her niece Florence, although she
pretended not to care, and a month or two afterwards she advertised in a
local paper for a companion.

The person who answered this advertisement was Bertha Keys. She managed
to satisfy the good lady with regard to testimonials, taking care never
to breathe the name of Cherry Court School. She secured the post, and
from that moment ruled Mrs. Aylmer, although Mrs. Aylmer supposed that
she ruled her.

Florence found a friend in Sir John Wallis, who put her on the
foundation of an excellent school which he knew of. She was well
educated, and now at the age of twenty was prepared to fight the battle
of life.

Florence had received a present of twenty pounds from Sir John Wallis on
leaving school, and with this slender provision she meant to fight the
world and find her own niche.

Kitty Sharston had fulfilled all her early promise of beauty and grace.
Her father was now returning to England, and she was to go and live with
him.

Mrs. Aylmer the less was just as determined and just as peculiar as in
the days of old. She always spoke out what she thought, and the next
morning at breakfast, as the two girls with rosy faces and bright eyes
sat round the very tiny board, she expounded her views.

"Florence," she said, "I am nothing if I am not frank."

"We know that, Mummy," replied her daughter, with a twinkle in her
bright dark eyes; "what is up now?"

"Only this: I have been thinking things in the night."

"Oh, do satisfy my curiosity, Mrs. Aylmer," exclaimed Kitty; "where did
you sleep last night? You don't know how uncomfortable Florry and I
were, fearing we had taken your bed."

"Which you did, my dear. If it was a subject of fear, your fears were
realised," responded the little widow.

"Oh, but this is quite dreadful: ought we to stay on here, Florry, or,
at least, ought I to stay on?