at I want. The nest is comfortable. It was meant for you, but
it fits me. Now perhaps you know."

"And Mr.--Mr. Trevor?" said Florence, in a trembling voice.

"Oh, he fits me too. He is a very good fellow, very nice indeed. He
thinks I am quite an angel; he admires my talent, as he calls it. I
believe he would be very sad if I were not there; he is much more likely
to go than I am. Yes, Florence, you did well for me when you lost that
Scholarship. I thought I would tell you."

"Oh! oh!" said Florence, trembling and turning pale; "but if Aunt Susan
knew! If she knew!"

"Yes, if she knew," said Bertha, "but she does not know, and of course
you won't tell her."

"You think I won't; but--but Mummy will."

"I don't think so. It would be much worse for yourselves if you did. I
can hoodwink her; I can turn her against your mother; I can make her
more bitterly opposed to you. Now you have to understand. I have long
felt that I must come to an understanding with you. You must keep
silence. If you speak you will do very little good, but it is possible
you may give me an uncomfortable half-hour. Now, I don't care to have an
uncomfortable half-hour, and, above all things, I don't want Mr. Trevor
set against me."

"Do you--do you mean to marry him?" said Florence abruptly.

Bertha Keys coloured very faintly.

"You are impertinent," she said; "I refuse to answer. I am comfortable
where I am, and I mean to stay there. If you put Mr. Trevor against me,
if you put Mrs. Aylmer against me, it will be all the worse for
yourself; but if, on the other hand, you respect my secret, I can make
things perhaps a shade more comfortable for you."

"Oh, oh, Bertha, no," said poor Florence. She covered her face--her
cheeks were crimson. "I hate you! I can never be your friend. Why did
you come here?"

"I came on purpose. I have not lost sight of you. You know something
about me which I do not want the world to know. You could make things
uncomfortable for me. I guessed that you would be coming here about now,
and Mrs. Aylmer, Mr. Trevor, and I came to the 'Crown and Garter' at my
suggestion. We will leave again the day after to-morrow; but not--not
until you have made me a promise."

CHAPTER IV.

AN EVIL GENIUS.

After Bertha said the last words, Florence was quite silent. Bertha
turned and looked at her; then, satisfied with what she saw or fancied
she saw in her face, she turned aside again, giving a faint sigh as she
did