"But I can't go down such a figure," she said; "just wait a minute. One gets so careless in a house without gentlemen." "Poor dear! I am sure you are moped." "Oh, to death. It's dreadful!" sighed Elsie. "I feel things so acutely. If I only had a little of Bessie's stoicism!" "Yes, it's all very well; but you are made up of feeling," said the widow. "Change your dress, dear. Oh, you've made a conquest of a certain gentleman." "What, that Hawkins! He's a fearful idiot!" cried Elsie. "But he'll do, for want of a better." The sensitive young creature had quite forgotten her low spirits, but dressed herself in the most becoming morning attire possible, and floated down to greet the guests and quite bewilder them with her loveliness. Hawkins had been mortally afraid of Mrs. Mellen, but with Elsie he could talk, and Elizabeth sat quite stunned by the flood of frivolous nonsense and the peals of senseless laughter which went on about her. As for Mr. North, Elsie scarcely gave him a word after the first general salutation. After awhile Elizabeth managed to escape, on the plea that household duties required her presence, and stole up to her room for a little quiet. All at once she heard Tom Fuller's voice in the hall; opened her dressing-room door, and there he stood in his usual disordered state. "I've come to say good-bye," were his first words. "Then you are really going, Tom?" she said, sorrowfully, taking his hand and leading him into the chamber. "Oh, how sorry I am." "Yes, I'm off to-morrow," he said, resolutely, running both hands through his hair, and trying to keep his courage up. "A trip to Europe is a splendid thing, Bess--I'm a lucky fellow to get it." "I shall be all alone," she said, mournfully; "and I had depended on you so much." "Oh," cried Tom, "It's good of you to miss me--nobody else will! But there, Bessie, don't you set me off! I wanted to bid you good-bye--I--I--well, I'm a confounded fool, but I thought I'd like to see her just once more." "And those tiresome people are here," said Elizabeth. "Who do you mean?" "Oh, Mrs. Harrington and two men she has brought to spend the day--one of them is the person who checked our horses that day." "I thought I heard the widow's voice as I came through the hall," said Tom. "Well, well, it's better so! You see I don't want to make a donkey of myself." "Tom, you are the best creature in the world," cried Elizabeth. "Oh, Lord bless you, no," said Tom, rubbing his forehead in a disconsolate way; "I ain't good; there's nothing like that about me. 'Pon my word, I'm quite shocked lately to see what an envious, bad-hearted old wretch I'm getting to be." "We won't go downstairs yet," said Elizabeth; "sit down here and let's have a comfortable talk, like old times, Tom." "Well, no, I guess not, thank you--it's very kind of you," returned he, getting very red. "You see I can't stay but an hour--I must take the next train, for I've lots of things to do."