oing?'

Harvey murmured his peremptory resolve. Mrs. Frothingham, rising, said
that she was almost always at home in the afternoon; that it would
always give her so much pleasure----

'You remain in England?' asked Harvey, barely touching the hand which
Alma cavalierly offered.

'I really don't know. Perhaps I ought to, just to look after Mamma.'

Mrs. Frothingham uttered a little exclamation, and tried to laugh. On
the instant, Harvey withdrew.

By the evening's post on the following day he was surprised to receive
a letter addressed in Alma's unmistakable hand. The contents did not
allay his wonder.

DEAR MR ROLFE,

I am sure you will not mind if I use the privilege of a fairly long
acquaintance and speak plainly about something that I regard as
important. I wish to say that I am quite old enough, and feel quite
competent, to direct the course of my own life. It is very kind of you,
indeed, to take an interest in what I do and what I hope to do, and I
am sure Mamma will be fittingly grateful for any advice you may have
offered with regard to me. But I feel obliged to say quite distinctly
that I must manage my own affairs. Pray excuse this freedom, and
believe me, yours truly,

He gasped, and with wide eyes read the missive again and again. As soon
as his nerves were quieted, he sat down and replied thus:----

DEAR MISS FROTHINGHAM,

Your frankness can only be deemed a compliment. It is perhaps a
triviality on my part, but I feel prompted to say that I have at no
time discussed your position or prospects with Mrs. Frothingham, and
that I have neither offered advice on the subject nor have been
requested to do so. If this statement should appear to you at all
germane to the matter, I beg you will take it into consideration.--And
I am, yours truly,

HARVEY RADCLIFFE ROLFE

CHAPTER 10

This reply despatched, Harvey congratulated himself on being quits with
Miss Frothingham. Her letter, however amusing, was deliberate
impertinence; to have answered it in a serious tone would have been to
encourage ill-mannered conceit which merited nothing but a snub.

But what had excited her anger? Had Mrs. Frothingham been guilty of
some indiscretion, or was it merely the result of hotheaded surmises
and suspicions on the girl's part? Plainly, Alma had returned to
England in no amiable mood; in all probability she resented her
step-mother's behaviour, now that it had been explained to her; there
had ari