'Very well. And now he's writing again, you see; oh, such a lot of
rubbish! I can hear him saying it all through his nose. Do tell me
what I ought to do next.'

'You must either pay no attention to the letter, or reply so that he
can't possibly misunderstand you.'

'Call him names, you mean?'

'My dear Louise!'

'But that's the only way with such men. I suppose you never were
bothered with them. I think I'd better not write at all.'

Emmeline approved this course, and soon left Miss Derrick to her
reflections.

The next day Louise carried out her resolve to write for information
regarding the progress of things at Coburg Lodge. She had not long
to wait for a reply, and it was of so startling a nature that she
ran at once to Mrs. Mumford, whom she found in the nursery.

'Do please come down. Here's something I must tell you about. What
do you think mother says? I've to go back home again at once.'

'What's the reason?' Emmeline inquired, knowing not whether to be
glad or sorry.

'I'll read it to you:--"Dear Lou," she says, "you've made a great