"Well, well, I will not tease you; bye and bye I will make another appeal, but if your mother be not well----" She paused, and then something of the old mischief came into her eyes. "You see I am improving, Bessie; I am not always trying to get my own way; my goodness makes mamma quite uneasy. I think she has got it into her head that I shall die young; all good young people die--in books. No, it was wrong of me to joke," as a pained look crossed Bessie's face. "Seriously, I am trying to follow your advice; but, oh! it is such hard work." "Dear Edna, do you think I do not see the difference in you?" "Am I different?" she asked eagerly, and a wistful look came into her lovely eyes. "Richard said the other day how much nicer I was; we are quite friends, Ritchie and I, now, and I won't let mamma be so hard on him. He was very kind to me when--when--Neville went away; he tells me about him sometimes, for once or twice he has seen him in London; but just fancy, Bessie, he never even asked after me. 'Are your people well?' That is all he said; but of course he will never forgive me; men are like that." "He may not think that you want to be forgiven," returned Bessie. Edna's color rose. "He will never know it," she said proudly; but the next moment her tone changed. "Oh, Bessie, what shall I do? Sometimes I am so miserable that I hardly know how I am to go on living. I never thought I should miss Neville like this, but I do--I do." "Do not think me unkind if I say that I rejoice to hear it; it proves how deep and real your affection was." "It was the only real part of me," was the reply. "Now it is too late, I have discovered it for myself. I never would let myself think seriously of my engagement. I liked Neville, and I meant to marry him one day, and that was all I thought about it; but now I see that the real feeling was there all the time, only choked up with rubbish, and I am quite sure that I could never care for any one else in the same way--never--never." "Poor Edna! it is very hard, and I am so sorry for you." But as Bessie spoke Christine came back into the room with a small tray of refreshments, and her mother followed, so she and Edna were obliged to break off the conversation. CHAPTER XX. "BESSIE'S SECOND FLITTING." Just before Edna left them Dr. Lambert came into the room. He seemed very pleased to see her, and at once offered to drive her to the station. Bessie was a little disappointed at this, for she had hoped to walk down with her friend; it would have given them time to finish their conversation; but Edna certainly looked tired, so she refrained from a dissenting word. Edna bade her good-bye very affectionately, and begged her to write to her frequently, and just before they reached the station she said a word or two to Dr. Lambert; would he spare Bessie to them bye and bye--not now, but a little later--for Oatlands was pleasant even in the winter?