CHAPTER XII.

FRANK'S FAREWELLS.

LESBIA had been about ten days at Monkshill, when one afternoon a message was brought to her that Mr. Hamilton was in the drawing-room. She was not very well, but as Mrs. Dobree and Ella had driven in to Stockton, she thought it behoved her to get up from her sofa and go down at once to her guardian.

When she entered the drawing-room she was surprised to find Frank, instead of his uncle, as she had expected. He was standing with his back to the light near the fire-place, and as he did not advance to meet her, she had to wind her way in and out amongst the chairs and ottomans encumbering her path. He stood waiting

for her to come to him, his eyes fixed

upon her face. She felt something of this gaze, for she blushed a little, but then recovering herself, said, “How are you, Frank? When they told me Mr. Hamilton was here, I expected to see my guardian."

He did not answer her inquiries as to his health, but still looked at her.

"This is the first time you have been to see me," she went on, feeling his silence uncomfortably. "How is your uncle?" "Quite well, I thank you."

"And Mrs. Scarsdale?"

"I believe she is quite well too."

"Mrs. Dobree and Ella are out," said Lesbia, trying another tack. "They have gone to Stockton to do a heap of com

missions. I was so unwell I could not

go; but I should think they must soon come in, now."

Lesbia," cried the young man, coming up to her almost savagely, "do leave off this vain babbling. Don't you understand that you are driving me mad? What do I care about Mrs. Dobree or her daughter? Is that all you have to talk to me about, and I going away; going-away-foryears," he said slowly, and as though every word cost him an effort. "What a wretched, childish little soul you have! you despise me for being a boy; you humiliate and mortify me before other men, and all the time you yourself have no more feeling than a baby with a doll." "I have never humiliated you, Frank." "You have always done so."

"What have I done to you now, that

you should attack me in this way?"

"You cannot help what you do; and if I told you of it you would not understand. You think I am a boy, and you treat me as though I were a child. I am a boy. Your little unripe soul will never grow into anything like maturity; and my youth is the only thing against me. If I had been born five years sooner you would have looked at me, listened to me, paid me some sort of attention; as it is

and the young man turned away bitterly.

"As it is, Frank, I will look at you, listen to you. Don't be unjust because you are unhappy."

"And why am I unhappy? Who cares for me? My own mother is afraid of me, and stares at me aghast; my uncle tolerates me; and you, Lesbia, you, for whom I would go through fire and water, through all the toil and trouble the world could heap upon me, for one kind look, for one

kind word, you hate me, despise me, neglect me."

46

'No; oh, no, Frank.” "You do, I say.

Have I come here

since you came? No. I could not bear to see you flirting with one, befooling another. I would not come. What did you care? Nothing."

"Do not be rough with me, Frank. I have cared. But I do not understand you. You do not try to be kind and amiable, as others are."

"Others? Do not tell me about others. Or tell me this;-you shall, you mustare you engaged to Captain Dobree? Tell me before I go."

"You have no right to ask such a question." Lesbia's colour had risen, and her eyes were sparkling.

"The beggar has no right to ask for alms. I don't say I have a right.

But