t her in astonishment.

"You must come back and see my mother, Franks," he continued, turning
again to the young man. "It is very kind of you to offer your umbrella
to Miss Aylmer, but I think you must share it with her."

There was no help for it. Florence had to walk under Mr. Franks's
umbrella; she had seldom found herself in a more awkward position.

"Of course," she thought, "he will speak of the manuscript."

She rushed recklessly into conversation in order to avoid this, but in
vain. During the first pause Mr. Franks said: "I have good news for you,
Miss Aylmer. I showed your story to my chief, Anderson, last night. I
begged of him to read it at once. He did so to oblige me. He will take
it for the _Argonaut_. I thought you would be glad. He wants you to call
at the office to-morrow, when he will arrange terms with you.--Forgive
us, won't you, Trevor, for talking business; but it was such a chance,
coming across Miss Aylmer like this, and I thought she would like to
know as soon as possible what a great success she has made."

Trevor glanced at Florence in some astonishment.

"Does this mean that you write?" he said, "and that you have had an
article accepted?"

"A very promising article accepted extremely willingly," said Franks.
"Miss Aylmer deserves your hearty congratulations, Trevor. She is a very
fortunate young lady indeed."

"I know I am, and I am grateful," said Florence.

Trevor again looked at her.

"She is not happy. What can be wrong?" he said to himself.

"Have you ever published anything before?" continued Franks.

"Never."

"Well, you are lucky. Your style--I do not want to flatter you, but your
style is quite formed. You must have been a very successful essay-writer
at school."

"No, I never wrote much," said poor Florence. "I--I hate writing," she
said the next moment. The words burst impetuously from her lips.

"By all that's wonderful! what do you mean by that? Surely it would be
absolutely impossible for anyone who hated writing to do so with your
ease and fluency!"

"We are nearly home now, and Miss Aylmer seems very tired," said Trevor.
"Will you come in, Franks?"

"No, thanks; I must be getting home. You will call at our office
to-morrow, Miss Aylmer?"

"Thank you," said Florence; "at what hour?"

"I shall be in and will introduce you to my chief if you can come at
twelve o'clock. Well, good-bye for the present." He raised his hat to
Florence, favoured her with a ke