th the
girls, I suppose?"

"Let Laura take the larger front room? She did have it until we heard
you were coming. Oh, she wouldn't mind. But you----"

"I should be out of the way there by myself," he pleads. "All my traps
would be handy, and if I wanted to sit up at night I should disturb no
one."

"It shall be just as you like. Yes, it would be more convenient for
you. Why, we could go at it this very afternoon."

"But Gertrude----"

"Give Gertrude a book and she would sit in the debris of Mount
Vesuvius," says her mother.

Mary, the housemaid, is called upon, and cook generously offers her
services. Gertrude comes down-stairs grumbling a little. The two rooms
are speedily dismantled of feminine belongings, but the quaint old
mahogany bedroom suite is taken over because Floyd prefers it to the
light ash with its fancy adornments. James, the coachman, and Briggs,
the young lad, carry up the luggage. There is a little sweeping and
dusting, and Floyd settles his rooms as he has often settled a tent or
a cabin or a cottage. He has grown to be as handy as a woman.

He feels more at home over here, not so much like a guest. His room is
not so large, but he has all the tower and the wide prospect on both
sides. He can read and smoke and sit up at his pleasure without
disturbing a soul. The "girls" and the wedding finery will all be
together.

"Laura will be delighted," declares Mrs. Grandon again. In her secret
heart she feels this arrangement will take Floyd a little out of
madame's reach. Beside the tower there is a back stairway leading to a
side entrance, quite convenient to Eugene's room. It is admirable
altogether.

Floyd begins to unpack with hearty energy. Only the most necessary
articles, the rest will keep till a day of leisure. To-morrow he must
look into the business, and he hopes he will not find matters very
troublesome. He has a good deal of his own work to do, and he sighs a
little, wishing the wedding were well over.

Laura leaves her lover at the station, and is not a whit disconcerted
by the change in affairs.

She and Madame Lepelletier are going to the city to-morrow to spend
several days in shopping, and this evening they must devote to a
discussion of apparel. They scarcely miss Floyd, who goes to bed at
last with the utmost satisfaction.

CHAPTER IV.

My heart no truer, but my words and ways more true to it.--ROBERT
BROWNING.

"Say good by to papa." And Floyd Grandon stoops