“Good little Bessie, what should I do without you?  You are very lovely to-night in your finery.  Are you glad Neil is coming?”

“Yes, very glad,” Bessie replied, blushing a little.  “Very glad for Neil, but I do not think I want that American here, too.  I wish Neil had left him from the programme.”

“Oh, yes; I remember you told me that Neil said he was coming.  They are great friends, I believe,” Archie said.  Then, after a moment, he continued:  “I dare say he is a gentleman.  You may like him very much.”

“No, I shall not,” Bessie rejoined, tapping the floor impatiently with her boot, whose shabbiness French blacking could not wholly conceal, “I shall be civil to him, of course, as Neil’s friend, but I would rather he did not come, spoiling everything.  I see Neil so seldom that I want him all to myself when he is here.  He is the only cousin I have, you know.”

For a moment Archie was silent, and when at last he spoke, he said: 

“Bessie, don’t think too much of Neil.  As I told you once in London, so I tell you now.  He is too selfish by nature, and too ambitious to care particularly for anything which cannot advance his interests.  He likes you very much, no doubt, and if you had a fortune, I dare say he would seek to make you his wife; but as you have not he will marry Blanche Trevellian, who has.”

“Yes, he will marry Blanche,” Bessie said, softly, and the old, tired, sorry look crept into her eyes and deepened about her mouth as she thought:  “If I had a fortune!  Oh, that if!  What a big one it is in my case.  And yet it is impressed upon me that somewhere in the world there is a fortune awaiting me; very far from here, it may be, but still somewhere; but then, Neil will be gone before I get it, and I shall not care.”

And as it had done more than once before, a sharp pain cut through Bessie’s heart as she thought what life would be with Neil making no part of it.  So absorbed had she and her father been that neither of them had heard the train as it glided swiftly by, but when, after a few moments had elapsed, there was the stamping of feet outside, and a cheery call to the house dog, who had set up a welcome bark, Bessie sprang from her father’s knee, exclaiming: 

“That’s Neil; he has come, and I am so glad.”

She was out in the hall by this time, waiting expectantly, while Anthony opened the door admitting Neil, who kissed Bessie twice, and told her how glad he was to see her again, and how well her stuff dress of dark claret became her, or would, if she had left off that knot of Scotch plaid ribbon at the throat, which marred the effect.

Bessie’s checks flushed at this criticism upon the ribbon she liked so much, and had bought for this very occasion, with a view to please her cousin.  He was in very high spirits, it seemed to her, as she listened to his gay badinage and laughter.  But how handsome he was in his new holiday suit, every item of which was faultless, and of the latest style.  If his mother stinted him in other ways, she surely did not where his wardrobe was concerned, and he had the reputation of being one of the best dressed young men in London.