nfidence in
Neil's willingness to accept her offer.

In fancy she furnished the large stone house on the cliff above the
mills, which Bessie was to occupy, and furnished it with no sparing
hand. In fancy she climbed the sleep steps every day, and went in and
out with the freedom of a mother, for such she meant to be to the young
couple, both her own blood, and both seeming very near to her now when
there was a chance of their coming to her and dispelling the loneliness
of her monotonous life. But she kept her expectations to herself, not
even telling them to Lucy Grey, or Hannah Jerrold, her most intimate
friends, both of whom noticed a change in her, but did not guess why she
seemed so much more cheerful and happy, or why she was so often in
Worcester, inquiring the prices of china and glassware, and household
furniture generally.

Once she was very near letting it out, and that was when Hannah was
spending the afternoon with her, and said: "I have received a letter
from Grey, who writes that he spent a day at Stoneleigh and saw your
grandniece Bessie."

"What did he think of her?" Miss Betsey asked, and Hannah replied:

"He thought her the loveliest creature he had ever seen. I do believe he
is more than half in love with her, for I never knew him so enthusiastic
over a girl before."

"Yes," Miss McPherson said, and remembering what she knew Grey to be and
what she feared Neil was, she thought, "Oh, if it were Grey and Bessie;"
and that night she dreamed that it was Grey and Bessie, and that she
tore down the house on the cliff, overlooking the mill, and built there
a palace something after the fashion of Chatsworth, except that it was
more modern in its style and general appearance, and many pairs of eyes
like those seen on the terrace at Aberystwyth looked into hers, and many
little hands rubbed holes in her stuff dress, and many little voices
called her grandma the name she bade them give her in place of auntie.

CHAPTER XV.

FROM JANUARY TO MARCH.

Never had Neil been more gracious or agreeable than during the interval
when he was waiting for the answer to his letter. He felt sure of a
favorable reply and that Bessie would be his before the June roses were
in bloom, and that of itself kept him in a happy frame of mind. He was
very attentive to Blanche and very kind to his mother, and he wrote long
letters to Bessie three times a week, and went to church every Sunday
and gave a half-penny to every