at
Arnold, were full of fire.

It was not her way to speak in this fierce and spasmodic style, and the
moment the little sentence dropped from her lips she blushed.

Arnold looked at her inquiringly.

"Are you too tired to have a walk with me?" he said. "Not far--down
there under the shade of the elm-trees. You need not be cruel, Frances.
You can come with me as far as that."

Frances blushed still more vividly.

"I am really very tired," she answered. There was unwillingness in her
tone.

Arnold gazed at her in surprise and perplexity.

"Perhaps," he said, suddenly, looking at Fluff, "perhaps, if you are
quite too tired even to stir a few steps, Frances, Miss Danvers would
not greatly mind leaving us alone here for a little."

Before she could reply, he went up to the young girl's side and took her
hand apologetically.

"You don't mind?" he said. "I mean, you won't think me rude when I tell
you that I have come all the way from Australia to see Frances?"

"Rude? I am filled with delight," said Fluff.

Her eyes danced; she hummed the air of "Sweethearts" quite in an
obtrusive manner as she ran into the house.

"Oh, squire," she said, running up to the old man, who had seated
himself in his favorite chair in the parlor. "I have discovered such a
lovely secret."

"Ah, what may that be, missy? By the way, Fluff, you will oblige me very
much if you will call Frances here. This paraffine lamp has never been
trimmed--if I light it, it will smell abominably; it is really careless
of Frances to neglect my comforts in this way. Oblige me by calling her,
Fluff; she must have finished her tea by this time."

"I'm not going to oblige you in that way," said Fluff. "Frances is
particularly engaged--she can't come. Do you know he came all the way
from Australia on purpose? What can a lamp matter?"

"What a lot of rubbish you're talking, child! Who came from Australia?
Oh, that tiresome Arnold! A lamp does matter, for I want to read."

"Well, then, I'll attend to it," said Fluff. "What is the matter with
it?"

"The wick isn't straight--the thing will smell, I tell you."

"I suppose I can put it right. I never touched a lamp before in my life.
Where does the wick come?"

"Do be careful, Ellen, you will smash that lamp--it cost three and
sixpence. There, I knew you would; you've done it now."

The glass globe lay in fragments on the floor. Fluff gazed at the broken
pieces comically.

"Frances would have manag