oly love
affair just at present, but I'm making it right."

"My little bewitching one, I would embrace you, but my poor miserable
nerves won't permit of the least exertion. And so Frances, my Frances,
has a lover! It was wrong of her, darling, not to tell of this."

"She gave him up to come to you."

"Oh, the noble girl! But do you think, my child, I would permit such a
sacrifice? No, no; far rather would Lucilla Carnegie bury her sorrows in
the lonely tomb. Lend me your handkerchief, sweet one--I can't find my
own, and my tears overflow. Ah, my Frances, my Frances, I always knew
you loved me, but to this extent--oh, it is too much!"

"But she didn't do it for you," said Fluff. "She wanted the money to
help her father--he's such a cross, selfish old man. He wouldn't let her
marry Philip, although Philip loved her for ten years, and saved all his
pence in Australia to try and get enough money to marry her, and was
nearly eaten himself by the blacks, but never forgot her day or
night--and she loved him beyond anything. Don't you think, Mrs.
Carnegie, that they ought to be married? Don't you think so?"

"My child, my little fair one, you excite me much. Oh, I shall suffer
presently! But now your enthusiasm carries that of Lucilla Carnegie
along with you. Yes, they ought to be married."

"Mrs. Carnegie, they must be married. I'm determined, and so is Philip,
and so is Mr. Spens. Won't you be determined too?"

"Yes, my child. But, oh, what shall I not lose in my Frances? Forgive
one tear for myself--my little rose in June."

"You needn't fret for yourself at all. You'll be ever so happy when
you've done a noble thing. Now listen. This is our little plot--only
first of all promise, promise most faithfully, that you won't say a word
to Frances."

"I promise, my child. How intensely you arouse my curiosity! Really I
begin to live."

"You won't give Frances a hint?"

"No, no, you may trust me, little bright one."

"Well, I do trust you. I know you won't spoil all our plans. You'll
share them and help us. Oh, what a happy woman you'll be by and by! Now
listen."

Then Fluff seated herself close to Mrs. Carnegie, and began to whisper
an elaborately got-up scheme into that lady's ear, to all of which she
listened with glowing eyes, her hands clasping Fluff's, her attention
riveted on the sweet and eager face.

"It's my plot," concluded the narrator. "Philip doesn't much like
it--not some of it--but I say that I wil