 a hard parent's heart!
    There were many careless loungers through the street, as the summer evening
deepened into night, who glanced across the road at the sombre house, and saw
the youthful figure at the window, such a contrast to it, looking upward at the
stars as they began to shine, who would have slept the worse if they had known
on what design she mused so steadfastly. The reputation of the mansion as a
haunted house, would not have been the gayer with some humble dwellers
elsewhere, who were struck by its external gloom in passing and repassing on
their daily avocations, and so named it, if they could have read its story in
the darkening face. But Florence held her sacred purpose, unsuspected and
unaided: and studied only how to bring her father to the understanding that she
loved him, and made no appeal against him in any wandering thought.
    Thus Florence lived alone in the deserted house, and day succeeded day, and
still she lived alone, and the monotonous walls looked down upon her with a
stare, as if they had a Gorgon-like intent to stare her youth and beauty into
stone.
    Susan Nipper stood opposite to her young mistress one morning, as she folded
and sealed a note she had been writing: and showed in her looks an approving
knowledge of its contents.
    »Better late than never, dear Miss Floy,« said Susan, »and I do say, that
even a visit to them old Skettleses will be a God-send.«
    »It is very good of Sir Barnet and Lady Skettles, Susan,« returned Florence,
with a mild correction of that young lady's familiar mention of the family in
question, »to repeat their invitation so kindly.«
    Miss Nipper, who was perhaps the most thorough-going partisan on the face of
the earth, and who carried her partisanship into all matters great or small, and
perpetually waged war with it against society, screwed up her lips and shook her
head, as a protest against any recognition of disinterestedness in the
Skettleses, and a plea in bar that they would have valuable consideration for
their kindness, in the company of Florence.
    »They know what they're about, if ever people did,« murmured Miss Nipper,
drawing in her breath, »oh! trust them Skettleses for that!«
    »I am not very anxious to go to Fulham, Susan, I confess,« said Florence
thoughtfully; »but it will be right to go. I think it will be better.«
    »Much better,« interposed Susan, with
