which he could not escape. There was manliness
enough in his nature to make him wince a little, when he heard what Grey
had done, while at the same time he was conscious of a pang of jealousy
as he reflected that only a stronger sentiment than mere friendship for
Bessie could have actuated Grey, generous and noble as he knew him to
be.

"Oh, if I were rich," he sighed, as with a conviction that he was about
the most abused person in the world, he went into the room where Bessie
lay, white, and worn, and motionless almost as the dead, for though the
fever had left her she was very weak, and could only whisper her
welcome, while the great tears rolled down her cheeks.

Neil was awfully afraid of her. There might still be infection in her
breath and infection in the room. He fancied he smelled it, and
involuntarily put his hands to his mouth and nose, as he drew near the
bed. Bessie saw the motion, and interpreted it aright.

"Oh, Neil," she said, with a sob, "you are not afraid of me?"

"No, certainly not; only this fever is a confounded thing when it takes
hold of a great hulking fellow like myself, and just now I am very
tired," he said; then, heartily ashamed of himself as he saw the look of
distress on Bessie's face, he bent and kissed her forehead, and told her
how sorry he was to find her so sick, and that he would not leave her
till she was strong again.

But all the time he talked he fidgeted in his chair, and kept looking at
the door as if anxious to escape into the fresher air.

"Do you think there is any danger?" he said to Flossie, whom he
encountered in the adjoining room.

Flossie knew he was afraid, and there was mischief in the merry Irish
lassie's heart, as she replied:

"Danger, oh, no, if she is kept quiet and carefully nursed, the doctor
says she will soon get well enough to be moved."

"Yes, I know that, of course," Neil stammered. "I mean, is there any
danger of my taking it from her--from the room--from the air, you know?

"Are you afraid of it?" Flossie asked him, very demurely, and he
replied:

"N--no; yes--I believe I am. Does that make any difference?"

"I should say it did, very decidedly," Flossie answered, with great
earnestness and evident concern. "Mr. Jerrold was not one bit afraid,
and he was in there all the time;" this, with a saucy twinkle in her
black eyes, as she saw the flush in Neil's face and guessed its cause.
"You did not kiss her, of course?" she continued, with t