nces."

"No father."

Frances's tone was quiet and commonplace now.

"Sit down, please; don't excite yourself. I am not a woman to keep any
man waiting for me. I trust, long before you are dead, father, Philip
will be happy with another wife."

"What! Fluff, eh?" said the old man. "What a capital idea! You will
forgive my saying that she will suit him really much better than you,
Frances. Ah, there they go down the elm-walk together. She certainly is
a fascinating little thing. It will comfort you, Frances, to know that
you do Philip no injury by rejecting him; for he really gets a much more
suitable wife in that pretty young girl--you are decidedly _passee_, my
love."

Frances bit her lips hard.

"On the whole, then, you are pleased with what I have done," she said,
in a constrained voice.

"Very much pleased, my dear. You have acted well, and really with
uncommon sense for a woman. There is only one drawback that I can see
to your scheme. While you are enjoying the luxuries and comforts of
Arden, who is to take care of me at the Firs?"

"I have thought of that," said Frances. "I acknowledge there is a slight
difficulty; but I think matters can be arranged. First of all, father,
please disabuse yourself of the idea that I shall be in a state of
comfort and luxury. I shall be more or less a close prisoner; I shall be
in servitude. Make of that what you please."

"Yes, yes, my love--a luxurious house, carriages, and horses--an
affectionate and most devoted friend in Lucilla Carnegie--the daintiest
living, the most exquisitely furnished rooms. Yes, yes, I'm not
complaining. I'm only glad your lot has fallen in such pleasant places,
Frances. Still, I repeat, what is to become of me?"

"I thought Mrs. Cooper, our old housekeeper, would come back and manage
matters for you, father. She is very skillful and nice, and she knows
your ways. Watkins quite understands the garden, and I myself, I am
sure, will be allowed to come over once a fortnight or so. There is one
thing--you must be very, very careful of your money, and Watkins must
try to sell all the fruit and vegetables he can. Fluff, of course, can
not stay here. My next thought is to arrange a home for her, but even if
I have to leave next week, she need not hurry away at once. Now, father,
if you will excuse me, I will go out to Watkins, for I have a great deal
to say to him."

CHAPTER XI.

EDGE TOOLS.

"I have something to say to you, Fluff,"