upstairs softly, and, going down another corridor, opened the door
of her mother's room and went in.

Mrs. Aylmer was lying sound asleep; it was not yet six o'clock. She
was very tired and she was sleeping heavily; she was enjoying pleasant
dreams in her sleep, dreams of Florence, her dear, her darling, the
success Florence had won, the happy future which lay before her.

Mrs. Aylmer's dreams were all one glow of great bliss, and in the midst
of them she felt a cold, small hand laid upon her own, and, opening her
eyes, she saw Florence bending over her.

"Mummy," said Florence, "I want you to get up at once."

"My dear, dear child, what can be the matter?" said Mrs. Aylmer the
less. She started up in bed, rubbed her sleepy eyes and stared at her
daughter. "What is it, Flo?"

"I cannot tell you just yet, mother, but I want you, if ever, ever in
the whole course of your life you really loved me, to stand by me now.
Something fearful has happened, mother dear, and I cannot tell you at
present, but I want you to help me. I want to go back to Dawlish with
you; I want to go back by the very first train this morning with you
alone, Mummy; I will tell you on the way home what has happened, and
then--but I cannot say any more; only come, mother, come. No one else
would stand by me--but you will, won't you?"

"You frighten me dreadfully, Florence," said Mrs. Aylmer; "I cannot
imagine what you are talking about. Have you lost your reason, my poor
darling? Has this great, great triumph turned your brain? Oh, my
child, my child!"

"No, mother," said poor Florence, "I am quite sane; I have not lost my
reason. On the contrary, I think I have got it back again; I never
felt saner than I do now, but--but you must help me, and there is no
time to lose. I have done what I could; you must come away with me,
mother, and we must go at once. I have looked up the trains. I'll go
myself and wake up one of the servants and get a trap ordered, and we
will go. Have you got a little money--that's the main thing?"

"I have got five pounds left out of Sir John's cheque."

"Then that will be splendid. I only want just enough to get back to
Dawlish, to the little old house and to you. Oh, come, Mummy! oh,
come!"

Florence's words were very brave and very insistent, and Mrs. Aylmer
roused herself. She got out of bed, feeling a dull wonder stealing
over her. Florence now took the command, and hastened her mother into
her clo