gh the jolting of the carriage
might have tried your nerves a very little, the soft, sweet air and
change of scene did them good."

"And your conversation, dearest--the limpid notes of that sweetest
voice. Ah, Frances, your tales were harrowing!"

"Yes; but they were more harrowing to be lived through. You, dear Mrs.
Carnegie, to-day have relieved a certain amount of this misery."

"Ah, my sweet, how good your words sound! They are like balm to this
tempest-tossed heart and nerve-racked form. Frances dear, we have an
affinity one for the other. I trust it may be our fate to live and die
together."

Frances could scarcely suppress a slight shudder. Mrs. Carnegie suddenly
caught her arm.

"Who is that radiant-looking young creature coming down the Rose Walk?"
she exclaimed. "See--ah, my dear Frances, what a little beauty! What
style! what exquisite bloom!"

"Why, it is Fluff!" exclaimed Frances.

She rushed from Mrs. Carnegie's side, and the next moment Miss Danvers's
arms were round her neck.

"Yes, I've come, Frances," she exclaimed. "I have really come back. And
who do you think I am staying with?"

"Oh, Fluff--at the Firs! It would be kind of you to cheer my poor old
father up with a visit."

"But I'm not cheering him up with any visit--I'm not particularly fond
of him. I'm staying with Mr. and Mrs. Spens."

Frances opened her eyes very wide; she felt a kind of shock, and a
feeling almost of disgust crept over her.

"Mr. Spens? Surely you don't mean my father's lawyer, Mr. Spens, who
lives in Martinstown, Fluff?"

"Yes, I don't mean anybody else."

"But I did not think you knew him."

"I did not when last I saw you, but I do now--very well, oh, very well
indeed. He's a darling."

"Fluff! How can you speak of dull old Mr. Spens in that way? Well, you
puzzle me. I don't know why you are staying with him."

"You are not going to know just at present, dearest Francie. There's a
little bit of a secret afloat. Quite a harmless, innocent secret, which
I promise you will break nobody's heart. I like so much being with Mr.
Spens, and so does Philip--Philip is there, too."

"Philip? Then they are engaged," thought Frances. "It was very soon. It
is all right, of course, but it is rather a shock. Poor little
Fluff--dear Philip--may they be happy!"

She turned her head away for a moment, then, with a white face, but
steady, quiet eyes, said in her gentlest tones:

"Am I to congratulate you, then, Fluff?"