ble so. Poor little girl, you will be better
afterwards. I won't ask you too much; only tell me, sweetest, with your
own lips that you love me."

"I am not sweet, I am not dear, I am not darling. I am a bad girl, bad
in every way," said Florence. "Think of me as you like. I dare not be
near you: I dare not speak to you. Oh, yes, perhaps I _could_ have loved
you: I won't think of that now. I am engaged to another man."

"You engaged!" said Trevor. He sprang to his feet as if someone had shot
him. He trembled a little; then he pulled himself together. "Say it
again."

"I am engaged to Mr. Franks."

"But you were not engaged last night?"

"No."

"When did this take place?"

"Two hours ago; he came at nine--a minute past, I think. We became
engaged; it is all settled. Good-bye; forget me."

Florence still kept her hands behind her. She rose: her miserable
tear-stained face and her eyes full of agony were raised for a moment to
Trevor's.

"Do go," she said; "it is all over. I have accepted the part that is not
good, and you must forget me."

CHAPTER XLI.

THE LITTLE MUMMY IN LONDON.

Two days later a little woman might have been seen paying a cabman at
the door of No. 12, Prince's Mansions. She argued with him over the
fare, but finally yielded to his terms, and then she tripped upstairs,
throwing back her long widow's veil, which she always insisted on
wearing. She reached the door which had been indicated to her as the one
leading to Florence's room. She tapped, but there was no answer. She
tried to turn the handle: the door was locked. Just as she was so
engaged, a girl with a bright, keen face and resolute manner opened the
next door and popped out her head.

"Pardon me," said Mrs. Aylmer the less, for of course it was she, "but
can you tell me if my daughter Florence is likely to be in soon?"

"Your daughter Florence?" repeated the girl. "Are you Mrs.
Aylmer--Florence's mother?"

"That is my proud position, my dear. I am the mother of that extremely
gifted girl."

"She is out, but I daresay she will be in soon," said Edith Franks.
"Will you come into my room and wait for her?"

"With pleasure. How very kind of you!" said Mrs. Aylmer. She tripped
into the room, accepted the seat which Edith pointed out to her near
the fire, and untied her bonnet strings.

"Dear, dear!" she said, as she looked around her. "Very comfortable
indeed. And is _this_ what indicates the extreme poverty of those l