rangers, and quite too familiar with you. Don't
let them make a fool of you."

There was something very pathetic and pleading in his voice, and it went
to Bessie's heart, and when he took her face between his two hands and
kissed her lips, she kissed him back again, and then withdrew from him
just as Jack and Grey entered the room. They had been out for a little
walk after dinner, and had returned, reporting the weather beastly, as
Jack Trevellian expressed it.

"But it is jolly here," Grey said, rubbing his hands, and holding them
to the bright fire. "Just the night for whist. What do you say?" he
continued, turning to Bessie, who, having no objection to the game as
she knew they would play it, assented readily, and the round table was
brought out and the chairs arranged for the four.

Then arose the question:

"With whom should Bessie play?"

"Naturally with me, as I am the eldest and the last arrival," Jack said,
while Grey rejoined, laughingly:

"I don't know about that. I think we will draw cuts for her; the longest
wins," and he proceeded to arrange three slips of paper in his hand.

"Be fair, now. I can't trust you where a lady is concerned," Jack
replied, while Neil maintained a dignified silence, and, when told to
draw first, drew, and lost.

"Your turn next, Trevellian. Hurry up; faint heart never won fair lady.
Suppose you try that one," Grey said, indicating, with his finger, one
of the two remaining slips.

"I shall not do it; there is some trick about it. You have fixed them. I
shall take this," Jack said, and he did, and lost.

"I have won; the lady is mine," Grey cried, exultingly, as he held up
the longest slip of paper.

Then, leading the blushing Bessie to her chair, he took his seat
opposite her, and continued;

"Now I know you English are never happy unless you play for something,
and as none of us, I hope, would play for money, suppose we try for that
knot of plaid ribbon at Miss Bessie's throat. I think it exceedingly
pretty."

There was a gleam of triumph in the glance which Bessie flashed upon
Neil, for she had not quite forgiven him his criticisms upon the ribbon,
which both Grey and Jack seemed to admire, and which she consented to
give to the victor.

"If your side beats you will draw cuts for the prize," Grey said to
Jack; "and if my side beats there is no cut about it, it is mine."

And so the game began, Neil bending every energy to win, and feeling
almost as much excit