"Whom were you expecting, Edna?" asked her brother, advancing toward the fireside circle. "Your tone does not sound very promising for me. Mother, you see I have taken you by surprise. Miss Shelton, I am delighted to see you again. How do you do, Miss Lambert?" with a swift glance in her direction. Bessie greeted him quietly, and went back to her corner; the surprise was a very pleasant one for her. Richard looked well, and more animated than usual. "I thought we arranged that you were not to come until to-morrow week, Richard," observed Mrs. Sefton, in her usual cold manner: and it was evident that she was not pleased at her stepson's arrival. "I told you particularly Miss Shelton was coming this week." "Oh, yes, I knew Miss Shelton would be here; but Saturday week would not have suited me at all. I don't mean to put you out, mother. I have taken a room at the Grand Hotel. I can have my meals there, too, if you like." "Nonsense, Ritchie!" returned Edna, good-humoredly; "our dining-room is not so small as that. You may have your breakfast at your hotel, and then spend the rest of the day with us. Miss Shelton will be delighted to have you; she was singing your praises just now." "I saw Neville in town this afternoon," observed Richard, with a significant glance at his sister. "'All's well that ends well,' eh, Edna? So the comedy of errors is played out." "Come into the other room and I will tell you all about it," replied Edna, taking hold of his arm in a friendly fashion. "Mamma, I suppose there is enough dinner for Richard, but I don't mean to let him go away." "Neither do I mean to go," added Richard, with a laugh, as he allowed himself to be led out of the room. "How well he looks! older and nicer, I think," observed Miss Shelton, as the young people left the room. "Do you think so?" replied Mrs. Sefton, indifferently. "Richard is always terribly boorish in appearance; and as to his manners, nothing will polish them. But what can you expect, when he affects the company of farmers? Neville is worth a hundred of him," she continued, as she rose, with a discontented expression, to give some further orders. Miss Shelton shook her head in a disapproving fashion. "What a mistake," she said quietly, "always to undervalue that poor boy! I am glad to see Edna is improved in that respect. He is a great favorite of mine, Miss Lambert. I found out he had a kind heart when I was in trouble once. As Edna says, we are great friends." "He is very nice," agreed Bessie, and then she went to her room to prepare for dinner. Yes, she was very glad he had come, though the sight of his familiar face had brought back the memory of that last sad day at The Grange. They had not met for seven months; how much had happened since then! But when the evening was over, she was obliged to confess that it had somehow disappointed her. Richard had said very little to her. Miss Shelton had engrossed his conversation; he hardly looked in Bessie's direction.