l only help him in my own way."

"My dear love, I don't think I ever heard anything more clever and
original, and absolutely to the point."

"Now did you? I can't sleep at night, thinking of it--you'll be sure to
help me?"

"Help you? With my heart, my life, my purse!"

"Oh, we don't want your purse. You see there's plenty of money; there's
the fortune Philip made for Frances. It would be a great pity anything
else should rescue her from this dilemma."

"Oh, it is so sweetly romantic!" said Mrs. Carnegie, clasping her hands.

"Yes, that's what I think. You'll be quite ready when the time comes?"

"Oh, quite. More than ready, my brightest fairy!"

"Well, here comes Frances--remember, you're not to let out a word, a
hint. I think I've amused Mrs. Carnegie quite nicely, Francie."

Frances's cheeks had that delicate bloom on them which comes now and
then as a special and finishing touch, as the last crown of beauty to
very pale faces. Her eyes were soft, and her dark eyelashes were still a
little wet with some tears which were not unhappy ones.

"Philip wrung a confession out of me," she whispered to her little
cousin. "No, Fluff--no, dear Fluff, it does no good--no good whatever.
Still, I am almost glad I told him."

"You told him what?"

"I won't say. It can never come to anything."

"I know what you said--you have made Philip very happy, Frances. Now I
must run away."

CHAPTER XVII.

THE FIRS OR FRANCES?

It is necessary for some people to go away to be missed. There are
certain very quiet people in the world, who make no fuss, who think
humbly of themselves, who never on any occasion blow their own trumpets,
who under all possible circumstances keep in the background, but who yet
have a knack of filling odd corners, of smoothing down sharp angles, of
shedding the sunshine of kindness and unselfishness over things
generally. There are such people, and they are seldom very much missed
until they go away.

Then there is a hue and cry. Who did this? Whose duty was the other?
Where is such a thing to be found? Will nobody attend to this small but
necessary want? The person who never made any talk, but did all the
small things, and made all the other people comfortable, is suddenly
missed, and in an instant his or her virtues are discovered.

This was the case at the Firs when Frances on a certain morning drove
away.

Watkins missed her--the stable-boy, the house-servant--the cat, the
dog--man