got to prevent it, you know."

"My dear young lady, to prevent what?"

"Well, she's not to go to Arden. She's not to spend the rest of her days
with a dreadful, fanciful old woman! She's to do something else quite
different. You've got to prevent Frances making herself and--and--others
miserable all her life. Do you hear, Mr. Spens?"

"Yes, I certainly hear, Miss Danvers. But how am I to alter or affect
Miss Kane's destiny is more than I can at present say. You must explain
yourself. I have a very great regard for Miss Kane; I like her
extremely. I will do anything in my power to benefit her; but as she
chose entirely of her own free will--without any one, as far as I am
aware, suggesting it to her--to become companion to Mrs. Carnegie, I do
not really see how I am to interfere."

"Yes, you are," said Fluff, whose eyes were now full of tears. "You are
to interfere because you are at the bottom of the mystery. You know why
Frances is going to Mrs. Carnegie, and why she is refusing to marry
Philip Arnold, who has loved her for ten years, and whom she loves with
all her heart. Oh, I can't help telling you this! It is a secret, a kind
of secret, but you have got to give me another confidence in return."

"I did not know about Arnold, certainly," responded Spens. "That alters
things. I am truly sorry; I am really extremely sorry. Still I don't see
how Miss Kane can act differently. She has promised her father now: it
is the only way to save him. Poor girl! I am sorry for her, but it is
the only way to save the squire."

"Oh, the squire!" exclaimed Fluff, jumping up in her seat, and clasping
her hands with vexation. "Who cares for the squire? Is he to have
everything. Is nobody to be thought of but him? Why should Frances make
all her days wretched on his account? Why should Frances give up the man
she is so fond of, just to give him a little more comfort and luxuries
that he doesn't want? Look here, Mr. Spens, it is wrong--it must not be!
I won't have it!"

Mr. Spens could not help smiling.

"You are very eager and emphatic," he said. "I should like to know how
you are going to prevent Miss Kane taking her own way."

"It is not her own way; it is the squire's way."

"Well, it comes to the same thing. How are you to prevent her taking the
squire's way?"

"Oh, you leave that to me! I have an idea. I think I can work it
through. Only I want you, Mr. Spens, to tell me the real reason why
Frances is going away from