Do not go back to France. You are so clever. I am sure
you could earn — oh, a great deal of money here. Besides,
I should see you often; perhaps always. And you will be
better here, perhaps, altogether."

" What do you mean, Annie?"

'' Oh, a great deal. I have seen pictures of the Normandj
girls, in all their tall caps, and short — dreadfully short — red
petticoats — the impudent things! I have no doubt you are
able to tell a great deal about them if you chose."

" What nonsense, Annie," answered Philip, with a laugh.
" If you had been abroad, you would have known how dif-
ferent the pictures of the places and peasants are to the
realities. 1 am sure there is nothing half so nice as your
own dear face, all over the world."

Annie did not know well what to say to this, beyond " Oh,
stuff!" which was not a very satisfactory reply. So she
turned the conversation by asking, " But what are you going
to do, Philip ? Can't you come down here?"

"No, my dear Annie; not yet, at least. Mr. Wyndham
Flitter, whom I think you know, has promised to put several
good things in my way, and he has great interest. He is
going to introduce me to some very leading people next
week."

"Well, Philip; whatever you think is for the best, will, I
am sure, be right."

Having said this, Annie suggested that it would, perhaps,
be just as well for them to go into the house, and see the
Twinches, who had been exceedingly kind to her, but who
appeared to be forgotten altogether. And, acting on her
suggestion, they went up to the Twinch residence.
