But such a course would involve explanations and confidences which she did not care to give to those about her--these people who would feel no interest in them or in her but that of idle curiosity. Hetty was the only member of the family who knew, or had ever shown any desire to know, anything of Floy’s history or hopes, and our heroine quickly decided that until Hetty returned this secret should be all her own. CHAPTER XXVIII. MESSRS. TREDICK & SERVER. “How sudden do our prospects vary here!”--SHIRLEY. But Floy’s resolve was destined to be speedily swallowed up in the current of swiftly-coming events. Only two days later, after some hours spent down town in the fatiguing business of shopping for Araminta Sharp, going from store to store in search of exact matches in dress goods, trimmings, and ribbons, she was standing on a corner waiting for a street-car, when a ragged little newsboy accosted her with: “I say, miss, won’t you buy one o’ these here papers?” running over the names of several of the dailies; “I hain’t sold none to-day, and if I don’t have better luck Teddy an’ me (that’s my little lame brother) we’ll have to go hungry and sleep in the street.” “That would be hard. Give me one, I don’t care which,” Floy said hastily, signalling the approaching car. “Thank ’ee, miss!” said the boy as she dropped the pennies into his hand. Seated in the car, she scanned the news items, skipping the police reports and the details of “the murder,” read the editorials, then ran her eye down the columns of advertisements. It lighted on something that nearly startled her into an outcry. Could it be? did not her eyes deceive her? She closed them for an instant in her excitement, almost holding her breath, while her heart beat tumultuously, the color came and went on her cheek, and she trembled until the paper shook in her hands; then opened them again to see it still staring her in the face--that name, her name, which only two days ago she had learned was hers. “If Ethel Farnese--wife or widow of Adrian X. Farnese, and formerly of Jefferson, Clinton County, Indiana--or her heirs will open communication with Messrs. Tredick & Server, Attorneys at Law, No. -- ---- Street, Chicago, they will learn something to their advantage.” How much that short paragraph told her! how much that was to her of intense interest, of great importance: her father’s Christian name, the former residence of her parents, and that some one else (who could it be?) was engaged in the same quest as herself! Unless (but the idea of such a possibility did not occur to her at the moment, and when it did was quickly discarded) some other Ethel Farnese than her mother were intended. No one was observing our heroine, no one noticed her agitation, and she had time to partially recover from it before facing the uncongenial and indifferent inmates of the house which was her temporary home.