sense, of just as much consequence as the pain of any other, human or inferior: pain is pain, she said; and equal pains are equal wherever they sting;--in which she would have been right, I think, if pain and suffering were the same thing; but, knowing well that the same degree and even the same kind of pain means two very different things in the foot and in the head, I refuse the proposition. Happily for Florimel, she had by this time made progress enough to venture a proposal--namely, that she should accompany her to a small estate she had on the south coast, with a little ancient house upon it--a strange place altogether, she said--to spend a week or two in absolute quiet--only she must come alone-- without even a maid: she would take none herself. This she said because, with the instinct, if not quite insight, of a true nature, she could not endure the woman Caley. “Will you come with me there for a fortnight?” she concluded. “I shall be delighted,” returned Florimel, without a moment’s hesitation. “I am getting quite sick of London. There’s no room in it. And there’s the spring all outside, and can’t get in here! I shall be only too glad to go with you, you dear creature!” “And on those hard terms--no maid, you know?” insisted Clementina. “The only thing wanted to make the pleasure complete! I shall be charmed to be rid of her.” “I am glad to see you so independent.” “You don’t imagine me such a baby as not to be able to get on without a maid! You should have seen me in Scotland! I hated having a woman about me then. And indeed I don’t like it a bit better now --only everybody has one, and your clothes want looking after,” added Florimel, thinking what a weight it would be off her if she could get rid of Caley altogether. “--But I _should_ like to take my horse,” she said. “I don’t know what I should do in the country without Abbot.” “Of course; we must have our horses,” returned Clementina. “And-- yes--you had better bring your groom.” “Please. You will find him very useful. He can do anything and everything---and is so kind and helpful!” “Except to his horse,” Clementina was on the point of saying, but thought again she would first secure the mistress, and bide her time to attack the man. Before they parted, the two ladies had talked themselves into ecstasies over the anticipated enjoyments of their scheme. It must be carried out at once. “Let us tell nobody,” said Lady Clementina, “and set off to-morrow.” “Enchanting!” cried Florimel, in full response. Then her brow clouded. “There is one difficulty, though,” she said. “--No man could ride Kelpie with a led horse; and if we had to employ another, Liftore would be sure to hear where we had gone.” “That would spoil all,” said Clementina. “But how much better it would be to give that poor creature a rest, and bring the other I see him on sometimes!”