She withdrew her hand very suddenly. “Philip, you should not say such a thing as that.” “Why not, if I think it?” “People should never say anything to anybody about themselves.” “Shouldn’t they?” “You know what I mean. It is not nice. It’s the sort of stuff which people who ain’t ladies and gentlemen put into books.” “I should have thought I might say anything.” “So you may; and of course you are different. But there are things that are so disagreeable!” “And I am one of them?” “No, Philip, you are the truest and best of brothers.” “At any rate you won’t----” Then he paused. “No, I won’t.” “That’s a promise to your best and dearest brother?” She nodded her head again, and he was satisfied. He went away, and when he returned to Launay at the end of four months he found that things were not going on pleasantly at the Park. Mr. Morrison had been refused, with a positive assurance from the young lady that she would never change her mind, and Mrs. Miles had become more stern than ever in the performance of her duty to her family. CHAPTER III. HOW BESSY PRYOR CAME TO LOVE THE HEIR OF LAUNAY. Matters became very unpleasant at the Park soon after Philip went away. There had been something in his manner as he left, and a silence in regard to him on Bessy’s part, which created, not at first surprise, but uneasiness in the mind of Mrs. Miles. Bessy hardly mentioned his name, and Mrs. Miles knew enough of the world to feel that such restraint must have a cause. It would have been natural for a girl so circumstanced to have been full of Philip and his botany. Feeling this she instigated the parson to renewed attempts; but the parson had to tell her that there was no chance for him. “What has she said?” asked Mrs. Miles. “That it can never be.” “But it shall be,” said Mrs. Miles, stirred on this occasion to an assertion of the obstinacy which was in her nature. Then there was a most unpleasant scene between the old lady and her dependent. “What is it that you expect?” she asked. “Expect, aunt!” Bessy had been instructed to call Mrs. Miles her aunt. “What do you think is to be done for you?” “Done for me! You have done everything. May I not stay with you?” Then Mrs. Miles gave utterance to a very long lecture, in which many things were explained to Bessy. Bessy’s position was said to be one very peculiar in its nature. Were Mrs. Miles to die there would be no home for her. She could not hope to find a home in Philip’s house as a real sister might have done. Everybody loved her because she had been good and gracious, but it was her duty to marry--especially her duty--so that there might be no future difficulty. Mr. Morrison was exactly the man that such, a girl as Bessy ought to want as a husband. Bessy through her tears declared that she didn’t want any husband, and that she certainly did not want Mr. Morrison. “Has Philip said anything?” asked the imprudent old woman. Then Bessy was silent. “What has Philip said to you?”