s. Then we had exciting and extraordinary days hunting for that furniture which Jane considered suitable, and consulting about the servants, and the thousand and one small minuti? of the es

same, the house will be full, from attic to cellar, before the week is

other's face; but I really did get a wonderful heartening and cheering up by Jane, and when the weeks flew by, and

l learn to like it. It is a brave thing to do. I have been thinking o

ht so, nothing would really matter. West, dearest, you are so br

ant to prove that women can do just as strong things

xurious ideas. But the drawing-room at least was almost perfect. It was a drawing-room after mother's own heart. In reality it was a very much larger and handsomer room than the one we had left in Sumner Place, but it had a home-like look, and the colouring was in one harmonious scheme, which took away from any undue effect of size, and at the same time gave a delicio

said, "this is

d mother, "it i

ble that you were able to decorate a room like this, and, you dear old thing, t

tip of her nose that blushed-it blushed a fiery red now. She

with cut flowers, nor nicknacks, nor rubbish of that sort, but you do; and when people hold with them, and believe in them, the more they have of them round, the be

delighted to see my favourite sweets. Come, mother, we will have a f

, and in five minutes or so, a stylishly dressed parlour-

e was a little balcony outside the window where she could sit, and where she could keep her favourite plants, and there in its cage was her old Bully, who could pipe "Robin Adair," "Home, sweet Home," a

house not far from Jane's, for of course the best bedrooms wer

e house," said Jane, "and after dinner to-night, my de

her, too

her little reading-lamp and her new novel? I have a subscription at M

a voice in everything; she must not drop the

vet, slightly, very slightly, open at the throat, and the lace ruffles round her throat and wrists were of Brussels, and she had a figment of Brussels lace arranged with velvet and a

ason, when I had not stepped down from society, but w

ly, and fitting close to her sturdy little figure, and her evening dress was that harsh silk which I have already mentioned. This was also worn tight and plain, and round her neck she had a white linen collar, and round her wrists immaculate white cuffs, and no cap or ornament of any kind over her t

on this first evening, and

Armstrong. Her letter of inquiry arrived yesterday, and ought to be answered at once. She adds in a postscript-'I hope you will do me cheap.' I don't like that postscript; it has a low, mean sort of sound about it, and I doubt if we will put up with her long, but, as she is the very first to apply for apartments, we cannot tell her that the house is full up. Now I propose that we give Mrs.

put up with disagreeables," w

er to have any disag

tter not have Mrs.

postscript turn the poor woman from a comfortable home? She

awfully littl

neas a head for rooms on the first floor. Mark my words, Miss Wickham, it is the attic boarders who will give the trouble, but we cannot help that, for they are sure and certain, and are the backbone

te, or will

the correspondence, which is sure to be a large item, but just at f

much," I said in

ain pen from its place by her waist, scribbled a word or two

Mrs. Furlong: he is a retired army man, and they are willing to

t is very littl

n the third floor, not on the second floor, and, of course, not on the first; but on the third floor we can give them that la

that evening, to the effect that they might enter the sa

ers over and arranged what replies were to be sent, Miss Mullins, after a certa

es to come," she said, "and I thi

ried mother, "a

an unmarrie

ere being unmarried gentlemen in the house, and I think mother had a sort of dim understanding that the entire esta

something unpleasant

red back

eman, and it would be extremely difficult for me to refuse him, because he happ

hat," I exclaimed, "and I

yes, and her resolute mouth shut into a perfect

friend who lent the money, so I do not see, as the house is almost empty at present, how we can keep him out. I sh

r, but I saw a hot spot co

de very disagreeable and complicated? To be frank with you, Miss Mullins," she c

oined partnership with you. What we want are ladies and gentlemen, and so many of them that the commonplace and the vulgar will not be able to come, because there will not be room to receive them. As to this gentleman, he ha

r. Randolph five guineas a week, and giving him the small bedroom on the drawing-ro

is letter?"

ter private, but if Mr. Randolph makes himself in any way disagreeable to you ladies I am sure he will go immediately, but my impression is that you will find

rs, and finally Jane retired to her premises, and mot

mother, "it is done. Wh

to the present I am charmed. What

r. "Why would not she show us Mr.,

h," I in

Place, and we must be exceedingly circumspect. You, for instance, must be distant and cold to all the men who come here. You must be careful not to allow any o

e our ship, our new, delightful ship, with a flowing sail into a prosperous harbour; and I cannot see, mother, why we should not receive a man who is a real gentlem

her anxious eyes look across the room as though she were

r comfortable, nor quite at home, unless under the gaze of those eyes, and we made up our minds not to mind the fact of our new boarders asking questions about the picture, for we w

them. She went into the hall and welcomed them in her brusque tone and took them immediately to their rooms, in each of which printed rules of the e

ce as you possibly can," was Jane's parting sh