--I do
admire spirit, you have a look of your father, and I was very fond of
poor John; not as fond of him as I was of my own dear Tom, but still I
respected him. Had he lived you would have been a different girl, but
your unfortunate mother--"

"If you say a word against mother I shall leave the room this instant,
and never speak to you again," said Florence.

"Really, my dear, you do go a little beyond yourself--I who have done
so much for you; but that Scholarship is interesting. Florence, you
had better go home; I will have a word with your mother by herself.
First of all, however, are you likely to win it?"

"I vow that I'll get it," said Florence.

"Florence is really clever, dear Susan," said Mrs. Aylmer the less, now
bursting in in an irrepressible voice; "I believe Sir John is much
struck with her. He did an extraordinary thing, and at the Cherry
Feast, which always ends the summer term at the school, had a
preliminary examination, and dear Flo, with two other girls, is
eligible to compete for the great Scholarship. They call themselves
the lucky three--their names are Kitty Sharston, Mary Bateman, and
Florry. Yes, Florence is very clever."

"She has a good-shaped forehead," said Mrs. Aylmer; "I greatly admire
genius. You can go, Florence; I'll speak to your mother."

"I think you had better come too, Mummy," said Florence; "surely it is
not necessary for you to remain."

But Mrs. Aylmer glanced at her sister-in-law and then at Florence, and
decided to remain.

"No, no, dear child," she said, "I have a great deal to say to your
Aunt Susan; she has the kindest heart in the world, and the fact is, I
am looking forward to my cup of tea. What delicious tea it looks! It
is so kind of you, Susan, to give it to me."

Florence stalked to the door without a word, opened it, and shut it
after her. When she had done so the widow glanced at the rich Mrs.
Aylmer.

"You must forgive the dear child, Susan," she said.

"Forgive her! there is nothing to forgive," said Mrs. Aylmer.

"But she was very rude to you."

"I prefer her rudeness to your fawning, Mabel, and that I will say
frankly."

"Fawning! Dear Susan, you certainly have a very peculiar way, but
there--"

"We need not talk about my ways; my ways are my own. I wish to say
something now. If my niece Florence wins the Scholarship, after her
term at Cherry Court has expired I shall send her abroad for two years,
paying all expenses of her