merica," said Beecher,
laughing.

"And papa and myself, how should we come through this formidable
inquiry?"

"Well," said he, hesitating, "your father has always lived so much out
of the world,--this kind of world, I mean,--so studiously retired, that
the chances are that, in short--"

"In short, they 'd ask, 'Who are these Davises?'" She threw into her
face, as she spoke, such an admirable mimicry of proud pretension that
Beecher laughed immoderately at it "And when they 'd ask it," continued
she, "I 'd be very grateful to you to tell me what to reply to them,
since I own to you it is a most puzzling question to myself."

"Well," said Beecher, in some embarrassment, "it is strange enough; but
though your father and I are very old friends,--as intimate as men
can possibly be,--yet he has never spoken to me about his family or
connections,--nay, so far has he carried his reserve, that, until
yesterday, I was not aware he had a daughter."

"You don't mean to say he never spoke of me?"

"Never to _me_, at least; and, as I have told you, I believe no one
possesses a larger share of his confidence than myself."

"That _was_ strange," said she, in deep reflection. Then, after a few
minutes, she resumed: "If I had a story of my life I 'd tell it you; but
there is really none, or next to none. As a child, I was at school in
Cornwall. Later on, papa came and fetched me away to a small cottage
near Walmer, where I lived with a sort of governess, who treated me with
great deference,--in short, observed towards me so much respect that I
grew to believe I was something very exalted and distinguished, a sort
of 'Man in the Iron Mask,' whose pretensions had only to be known to
convulse half Europe. Thence I passed over to the Pensionnat at
the Three Fountains, where I found, if not the same homage, all the
indications of my being regarded as a privileged individual. I had my
maid; I enjoyed innumerable little indulgences none others possessed. I
'm not sure whether the pony I rode at the riding-school was my own
or not; I only know that none mounted him but myself. In fact, I was
treated like one apart, and all papa's letters only reiterated the same
order,--I was to want for nothing. Of course, these teachings could
impress but one lesson,--that I was a person of high rank and great
fortune; and of this I never entertained a doubt. Now," added she, with
more energy, "so far as I understand its uses, I _do_ like wealth, and