letter. You
don't write half as long letters as you used to, Flo. I wish you
would, for I have nothing else to divert me. I have turned and
re-turned my best dress--I turned it upside down last year, and
downside up this year, and back to front and front to back, and I am
trimming it now with frills which I have cut another old skirt up to
make, and I really cannot do anything more with it. It won't by
stylish, try as I will, and your Aunt Susan hasn't sent me a cast-off
of hers for the last two years. It's very stingy of her, very stingy
indeed. She sells her clothes now to a dealer in London who buys up
all sorts of wardrobes. Before she found out this wardrobe-dealer I
used to get her cast-offs and managed quite nicely. It's horrid of
her. She is a very unamiable character. Don't you ever take after
her, Florry, be sure you don't."

"I hate her quite as cordially as you do, mother; but now come along by
the shore and I'll tell you about the Scholarship, if you really wish
to know."

Which Florence did, with one arm clasped tightly round her mother's
waist, and Mrs. Aylmer almost danced by her daughter's side as she
listened, and tried to fancy herself nearly as young as Florence, and
was certainly quite as eager with regard to the winning of the great
Scholarship.

"You must get it," she said at last, after a pause; "it would make the
most tremendous, tremendous difference."

"Well, I mean to try," said Florence.

"And if you try, dear, you will succeed. You're a very clever girl,
ain't you?"

"Don't say 'ain't,' mother; it is not quite----"

"Oh, don't you go to correct me, my love. I can't help having the
rather rough ways of people with small means; but you are clever,
aren't you?"

"I believe I am in some things. There are some things again which I
never can get into my head, try as I will. I am a queer mixture."

"You are a darling old thing," said the mother, giving her arm an
affectionate squeeze.

"And you are the sweetest pet in the world," said Florence, glancing
down at her parent. "Oh, it is good to be with you, Mummy, again."

"Well, darling, you'll get the prize, there's nothing to prevent it."

"There are several things to prevent it," said Florence, in a gloomy
voice.

"What, my dear, darling pet--what?"

"Well, for instance, there are two other girls."

"Oh, girls," said Mrs. Aylmer, in a contemptuous voice. "I am not
going to be frightened by girls. My Florence