nt for a
day to Alexandra Palace, and saw an opera, a play, a ballot, two
circuses, and rope-walking, all for a shilling, which to Bessie's frugal
mind was best of all.

That night Jack was more worn out than ever, and his back ached worse
than after the Tower, and though Bessie was to leave the next day for
home, he did not go to Abingdon Road in the evening, but went to bed
instead, and deferred his good-by until the morrow. So Neil had the
field to himself, and made good use of his opportunity. Together he and
Bessie walked in the Kensington gardens until they were tired, and then
they sat side by side on one of the many seats in a retired part of the
grounds, and Neil told her how sorry he was that she was going home, and
how lonely he should be without her.

"Ye-es," Bessie said, doubtfully. "I think you will survive;" and then
he burst out, impulsively; "I say, Bessie, I don't want you to think me
a cad and a sneak, when you go back to Stoneleigh. Don't you suppose I'd
like to have taken you round just as well--yes, better than Jack,
confound him?"

"Why didn't you then? I would rather have gone with you," Bessie said,
beginning to relent at once toward the handsome, good-for-nothing Neil,
who had his arm around her, and was looking into her face with his dark,
expressive eyes.

"Why didn't I?" he answered. "I am going to tell you why I didn't, and
why Jack did. He is his own master, with money to do as he likes, and no
one to question or nag him at home; while I am _not_ my own master at
all, and have no money except what mother chooses to give me, and that
is not much. Father, you know, is poor, and mother holds the purse,
which is not a large one, and keeps me awful short at times, especially
after paying my Oxford bills and a few debts I contracted the last year.
There would have been no end of a row if I had asked her for money to
spend on you and your father."

"Does she then hate us so much?" Bessie asked, and Neil replied:

"She cannot hate you, as she does not know you; but, you see, she is
prejudiced against your mother and visits her anger upon your innocent
head. I wanted her to call upon you and invite you to our house, and I
wanted to take you to drive in the park, but I could not; my hands were
tied. Do you suppose it was pleasant for me to see Jack Trevellian doing
what I ought to have done?"

"No," Bessie replied, beginning to feel a great pity for Neil, who had
suffered so much. "No, and