"Good-bye, my own precious Bessie." "I've got three new frocks, besides this; and I'm to have some more afterwards. The luggage was such a trouble to pack, without you and Deleah knowing! I hope I've got everything." "You'll write, Bessie?" "And you'll come and stay with me, mama? There'll be the carriage to drive out in. It will make a nice change." "It will indeed, dear." "Is my bonnet straight? I had the forget-me-not wreath put in because you always said blue was my colour." "Go now, darling. There is not another minute." "Oh, Mama! Mama! Mama!" "Go instantly, Bessie. Deleah, take her downstairs--" The bridegroom, dressed for the character in blue frock-coat, lavender trousers, with gloves and tie to match, and a flower in his buttonhole, was in waiting to help his bride to alight. He, who had never struck her as looking so before, suddenly appeared quite old to Deleah, in spite of his careful array, and the whiskers which had been oiled and curled. Bessie with the forget-me-nots surrounding her plump, fair-skinned face, looked almost a child in comparison. "Late!" he said, smiling upon the ladies. "But better late than never, eh, Sister Deleah?" "That depends on how you look at these things," said Deleah, for the first time in her life feeling the desire to be unpleasant. "We sprang a surprise on you, eh?" "We were not at all surprised, Mr. Boult." "It will have to be 'George' now, won't it? We can't have Sister Deleah 'Mr. Boult-ing' me. Eh, Bess?" "You may call him 'George,' Deda," said a magnanimous Bessie. "Thank you," said Deleah, in the tone of one who is not at all grateful. She followed the happy pair to the platform. Both were too smartly dressed for ordinary travellers, and people, guessing them to be bride and bridegroom, looked at them with interest. "How they all stare! I hope they find us worth looking at." "I always have thought you were, my dear," Mr. Boult said gallantly. Quite a little crowd collected to see Bessie handed into the first-class carriage, on which the word 'engaged' had been pasted: "We shall be alone. I have seen to that," the bridegroom said, proud of his man-of-the-world ways. Deleah climbed into the carriage with her sister. "You wish you were coming with us?" Mr. Boult inquired facetiously. "Not at all!" "Your turn will come. How about Mr. Gibbon? Now that Bessie is out of the way you can have your chance." "Good-bye, Bessie. I do so hope you may be happy." "You're a lucky young lady, tha's what you are!" Emily said, putting her head into the carriage. "You couldn't marry all of 'em what was in love with you, Bessie; but you've made a wise ch'ice--"