he progress of things at Coburg Lodge. She had not long
to wait for a reply, and it was of so startling a nature that she
ran at once to Mrs. Mumford, whom she found in the nursery.

'Do please come down. Here's something I must tell you about. What
do you think mother says? I've to go back home again at once.'

'What's the reason?' Emmeline inquired, knowing not whether to be
glad or sorry.

'I'll read it to you:--"Dear Lou," she says, "you've made a great
deal of trouble, and I hope you're satisfied. Things are all upside
down, and I've never seen dada"--that's Mr. Higgins, of course--"I've
never seen dada in such a bad temper, not since first I knew
him. Mr. B."--that's Mr. Bowling, you know--"has told him plain that
he doesn't think any more of Cissy, and that nothing mustn't be
expected of him."--Oh what sweet letters mother does write!--"That
was when dada went and asked him about his intentions, as he
couldn't help doing, because Cissy is fretting so. It's all over,
and of course you're the cause of it; and, though I can't blame you
as much as the others do, I think you _are_ to blame. And Cissy said
she must go to the seaside to get over it, and she went off
yesterday to Margate to your Aunt Annie's boarding-house, and there
she says she shall stay as long as she doesn't feel quite well, and
dada has to pay two guineas a week for her. So he says at once, 'Now
Loo 'll have to come back. I'm not going to pay for the both of them
boarding out,' he says. And he means it. He has told me to write to
you at once, and you're to come as soon as you can, and he won't be
responsible to Mrs. Mumford for more than another week's
payment."--There! But I shan't go, for all that. The idea! I left
home just to please them, and now I'm to go back just when it suits
their convenience. Certainly not.'

'But what will you do, Louise,' asked Mrs. Mumford, 'if Mr. Higgins
is quite determined?'

'Do? Oh! I shall settle it easy enough. I shall write at once to the
old man and tell him I'm getting on so nicely in every way that I
couldn't dream of leaving you. It's all nonsense, you'll see.'

Emmeline and her husband held a council that night, and resolved
that, whatever the issue of Louise's appeal to her stepfather, this
was a very good opportunity for getting rid of their guest. They
would wait till Louise made known the upshot of her negotiations. It
seemed probable that Mr. Higgins would spare them the unpleasantness
of tell