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not to think, and it was well he did not,-for he lay awake pretty nearly all night, and the next day did not look very bright, as Mrs. Eggar told him when he was wishing her good-by, before going to his work.

"Oh, never mind about me!" he replied, cheerfully; "I think I've made up my mind to be sensible. I see it must be one of two things,— either I must go away from Fairlegh, and the sight of Ruth's sweet face, and try to think no more about her, and leave her to marry John Manners, or somebody like him, or I must strive to get into a position which would enable me to try for her. I have chosen the latter. I must not say anything about it to my parents yet, until I know whether it can be done, for they have so much on their minds just now.

the very thing they would wish.

But I know it's

My father him

self proposed my leaving Fairlegh last year, saying he was afraid I should not get on much if I stayed there. I wish, now, I had agreed at once that he should look out for a situation for me in some town, instead of begging him to leave me where I was—at all events, for some time longer. But I could not bear the idea of leaving Fairlegh and you."

"And Ruth Chester!" added Mrs. Eggar.

66

'Well, and Ruth too. But now I see it's the

best thing I can do. I don't think I could stop here now, and go on seeing her day after day, without trying to get her to like me. And I know that would be wrong, when most likely her father would not allow her to think of me. So I will go, and see what I can do elsewhere. I mean to speak to Mr. Eggar this very day, and ask his advice. My father's too ill now for me to be able to speak to him. But, perhaps, Mr. Eggar might put me in the way of getting some situtation."

"Perhaps he can," said Mrs. Eggar; "and I'm sure, if he can, he will. So keep up your spirits, Frank, and you may be sure it will all come right

in the end."

Frank sure it would; and with this feeling in his heart, he set off to his daily work. He passed Ruth Chester's little garden, and spoke to her, as usual, about her fruits and flowers, and about a poor old woman also, in whom they were both interested. When he left her gate, and walked briskly on to the Fairlegh gardens, he was thinking that there was One above who could even give him Ruth Chester for his wife, if it was for his good that he should have her.

CHAPTER X.

"Thus onward still we press,

Through evil and through good."— - BONAR.

It was about a week after this that Frank was alone in the greenhouse at Fairlegh,-his hands busy with some flowers which he was fastening, and his thoughts busy elsewhere, thinking of his future prospects, and how he would be likely to get on when he should have left Fairlegh, when Mr. Andrewes came in, and startled him from his reflections.

"Well," he said, "what makes you start like that? One would think you were astonished to see me. There isn't anything very extraordinary, I suppose, in my coming to see after things, especially when you are so careless as you were the other day, going off to Briersley, and leaving one of the frames shut?"

"Did I?" exclaimed Frank; "I'm really very

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"And so you well may be," retorted Andrewes, who was evidently in one of his worst moods; "I tell you what, Elston, you've not been yourself these last days. What's the matter with you? Are you ill?"

"No, sir, thank you," replied Frank; "I have been a little out of sorts, but I'm all right again now, I hope."

"Well, I hope so, too," said Andrewes; "for I've got a letter to-day which obliges me to go over to Anderley at once, and perhaps will keep me there for two or three days. I must, and will be, back on Thursday, in time to get the things ready for the Beverton show; but I doubt if I shall be able to get back before. Meantime I shall leave everything here under your charge. I would rather leave it to you than to any one, for you know where everything is, and just what I like to have done."

He might have added, that he knew he could trust Frank implicitly; but Andrewes was not in the habit of paying compliments, so he only added,

"Now, mind, you have got the whole responsibility. I expect to win the first prize, without fail, if all goes right. There won't be anything to come up to those geraniums, I know. I never was more put out in my life than I am at having to leave just now."

"And must you go, sir?" asked Frank, who did not at all enjoy the thought of being left with the sole responsibility of looking after Mr. Andrewes' choice plants during the few last days previous to their exhibition at the grand flower-show at Beverton.

"Must I go?" replied Andrewes, gruffly; "why, of course, I must, or you may be very sure I should not. Our Squire has sent for me to be there, without fail, this afternoon. He does not think about the show, or even remember, I dare say-though I told him—that I am going to try for the seedling-prize. He is staying over there with some friends; and there's a greenhouse he has taken a fancy to, and nothing will do but I must go over and see if it would not answer to have one here like it. And I must go to-day, because there is a gentleman stopping there who can give me the plan, and explain all about it, and he will be leaving to-morrow. And, what's more, I must go now, or I shall miss the train. So mind and be careful of everything. And don't think of leaving till I return. be the fair at Ardley to-morrow. Of course you can't go."

It will

Frank promised that he would do his best, and

Mr. Andrewes departed.

That same evening Frank was carefully closing the frames, when he saw some one coming along

H

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