Madame Fournier's: "Father's ship comes from Yarmouth in
Norfolk. It is there we are at home, but he is nearly always at sea--to
and fro to Havre and Caen, to Dunkirk and Bordeaux. It is a fine sailing
ship, the Petrel. When the wind blows I think of father, though he has
weathered many storms. To-night it will be beautiful on the water. I
have often sailed with father." A prodigious sigh closed the paragraph,
and drew from Bessie a query that perhaps she wished she was sailing
with him now? She did, indeed! "He left me here because I was not
well--it is three weeks since; it was the day of the emperor's
_fete_--but I am no stronger yet. I have been left here before--once for
a whole half-year. I hope it won't be so long this time; I do so miss
father! My mother is dead, and he has married another wife. I believe
she wishes I were dead too."

"Oh no," cried Bessie, much amazed. "I have a mother who is not really
my mother, but she is as good as if she were."

"Then she is not like mine. Are women all alike? Hush! there is Miss
Foster at the door--_listening_.... She is gone now; she didn't peep
in.... Tell me, do you hear anything vulgar in my speech?"

"No--it is plain enough." It was a question odd and unexpected, and
Bessie had to think before she answered it.

Her questioner mistook her reflection for hesitation, and seemed
disappointed. "Ah, but you do," said she, "though you don't like to tell
me so. It is provincial, very provincial, Miss Foster admits.... Next
week, when the young ladies come back, I shall wish myself more than
ever with father."

"What for? don't you like school?" Bessie was growing deeply interested
in these random revelations.

"No. How should I? I don't belong to them. Everybody slights me but
madame. Miss Hiloe has set me down as quite _common_. It is so
dreadful!"

Bessie's heart had begun to beat very hard. "Is it?" said she in a tone
of apprehension. "Do they profess to despise you?"

"More than that--they _do_ despise me; they don't know how to scorn me
enough. But you are not _common_, so why should you be afraid? My father
is a master-mariner--John Fricker of Great Yarmouth. What is yours?"

"Oh, mine was a clergyman, but he is long since dead, and my own mother
too. The father and mother who have taken care of me since live at
Beechhurst in the Forest, and _he_ is a doctor. It is my grandfather who
sends me here to school, and he is a country gentleman, a squire. But I
lik