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Rose and Blanche, confused and affected, looked with interest on the kneeling woman; while Mother Bunch, shedding in silence tears of joy at the thought of Agricola's happiness, withdrew into the most obscure corner of the room, feeling that she was a stranger, and necessarily out of place in that family meeting. Frances rose, and took a step towards her husband, who received her in his arms.
"She was a very good friend indeed; though she was but young, scarcely bigger than yourself, at the time she gave me this thimble: she was my young mistress; I came all the way from Jamaica on purpose to find her out, and in hopes to live with her in my elder days." "Jamaica!" cried Howard; "Jamaica!" cried Oliver, in the same breath; "what was her name?" "Frances Howard."
"But Mrs. Hutchinson is none of these," interrupted Constance. "She is pure in heart in word in look. She really has nothing to conceal; she is all purity and grace, and with her husband shared for years the friendship of the illustrious Selden and Archbishop Usher." "Well, I am willing to admit all this," retorted Frances, eager to catch at any thing to divert her friend's melancholy.
Frances," she said, after a long pause, "I have no fears for his personal safety, because I know with whom he left this house: but, one thing I would say; and if, my dearest, kindest friend, I have not prated to you of my sorrows joys, alas! I have not to communicate it is because I must not.
"Canada!" cried a girl's voice that was easily recognised as that of Frances Amory. "Thumbs down, eh, Maitland?" said the Englishman, waving a hand toward his charming enemy.
He wanted Frances; Frances was his one and only love; but he felt no particular desire to hurry on matters, or to force an answer from her until she was ready to give it. He strolled into the stable-yard, where Pete, the under-gardener, message-boy and general factotum, a person whom Watkins, the chief manager, much bullied, was harnessing a shaggy little pony to a very shaky-looking market cart.
"The little lady of the ranch has stepped into my place but you need not be afraid for yours." Mrs. Mathews smiled again as she said that. "He asked for you with his first word, and he knows just how matters stand." The color swept back over Frances' face, and ran down to hide in her bosom, like a secret which the world was not to see.
Oh, Frances, for your own sake, please " "Hush! Do you suppose," her cheeks reddened and her eyes flashed as I had seen them flash before, "do you suppose I would go away and leave you now? Now, when you are hurt and ill and and after all that you have done! After I treated you as I did! Oh, let me do something! Let me do a little, the veriest little in return. I Oh, stop! stop!
The little girl was named Frances Matilda, but when she grew older the second name was finally dropped. To her family and friends she was known as "Fanny."
"He'll follow the herd, I reckon," Frances said, smiling again. "If he doesn't they'll pick him out at the next round-up. His brand is too plain to miss." "And now we're afoot," said Pratt. "It's a long walk for you back to the house, Frances." "And longer for you to the Edwards ranch," she laughed. "But perhaps you will fall in with some of Mr. Bill's herders. They'll have an extra mount or two.
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