When she thought of Floy’s possessing Beresford for her very own, of the love and caresses she craved being lavished on the little beauty, she felt as if her heart leaped into her throat and choked her. She grew lividly pale with emotion. She could not speak for a moment after Floy’s little boast, and the young girl continued, lightly: “But, auntie, we needn’t really be parted at all. Why can’t we go and live together at Suicide Place? It’s mine, you know, and much grander, after all, than Bird’s Nest Cottage. There is plenty of nice, old-fashioned furniture too, and I’m sure we could be comfortable. What do you say?” But Mrs. Banks almost fainted at the bare idea. “Oh, my pet, I’d make any sacrifice in the world for you, except that one!” she cried, in horror; and so Floy fell into the meshes of her hungry fate. CHAPTER XIV. THROWN ON THE WORLD. Mrs. Banks was wretched at the thought of being parted from Floy, whom she loved as dearly as if she had been her own child. Tears sprung to her eyes, and she cried piteously: “Oh, Miss Maybelle, how can I let my child go into that great wicked city of New York, with all its terrible temptations to a poor girl who has to earn her bread! Couldn’t I go, too, and watch over her young life?” “How could you go? Floy will only earn five dollars a week, and that will barely provide her board, lodging, car-fare, and clothing,” answered Maybelle. “Good heavens! I should say not,” cried Mrs. Banks, in dismay. “But, oh, I did not mean to live on Floy’s small earnings. Couldn’t I get work in the city, too? If we had only one little room together, we could be happier than apart.” “Yes; I should not mind it so much if only you could be with me, dear,” added Floy, eagerly. But Maybelle was relentless. The success of the plot she had in her mind depended on the separation of these two, who seemed to have no one in the world but each other. So she persisted in throwing cold water on all the woman’s plans, declaring that there were thousands of women out of work and starving in the great city, and that her father was doing Floy a great favor in giving her this position when hundreds of others would have been so glad to get it. “And mamma can recommend Floy to a good lodging-house,” she added. “It is kept by a woman who used to keep house for us when I was a child. She married a car-driver, and went to live in New York. She has been keeping a salesgirls’ boarding-house ten years, and they have a charming home with her, I am sure. So Floy will be as safe with her as under your own protection.” “And you think she is a good woman, and will be kind to my poor child, Miss Maybelle?” “Yes, indeed!” earnestly. “That takes a load off my mind, I assure you, and I will write this woman a special letter, or perhaps I had better go with Floy to New York myself and talk with this Mrs. ----” “Horton,” said Maybelle. “Yes, Horton--thank you.”