ld not be
better to withdraw it and let him have his way. The girl was well
enough, or would be if she had money, and this she would unquestionably
get from the old-maid aunt. She would wait and see, and meantime she
would give Neil a grain of comfort, so she said to him:

"I had no idea you loved her so much. Perhaps that aunt may make her
rich, and then she would not be so bad a match. You _must_ marry money."

Yes, Neil must marry money if possible, but he must marry Bessie, too;
and as he looked upon the broken engagement as something which could
easily be taken up again, he felt greatly consoled by his mother's
words, and for the remainder of the evening was as gay and agreeable as
Lady Jane could wish. But still there was always in his mind the picture
of a forlorn little girl, wrapped in a blue waterproof, with the hood
over her head, disappearing from his sight through the rain, and he was
constantly wondering what she was doing, and if Grey Jerrold would find
her.

CHAPTER VII.

ON THE SHIP.

Never in her life had Bessie felt so utterly desolate and friendless as
when she said good-by to Neil and threaded her way through the crowd of
drays, and cabs, and express-wagons to where Mrs. Goodnough was waiting
for her. All her former life, with the dear old home, lay behind her,
while before her was the broad ocean and the uncertainty as to what she
should find in far-off America. Added to this there was a clinging in
her heart to Neil, whom she had loved too long to forget at once, and
although she felt it was far better to be free, she was conscious of a
sense of loss, and loneliness, and inexpressible homesickness when she
at last took her seat in the tug which was to take her and her
fellow-companions to the steamer moored in the river.

Oh, how damp and close it was on the boat, especially in the dark corner
where Bessie crouched as if to hide herself from view! She had promised
Neil to avoid observation as much as possible, and, keeping her hood
over her head, she tied over it a dark blue vail, which hid her face
from sight, and hid, too, the tears, which fell like rain, as she sat
with clasped hands leaning her aching head against Mrs. Goodnough, who,
though a rough, uncultivated woman, had a kind, motherly heart, and
pitied the young girl, who, she knew, was so sadly out of place.

There were not many cabin passengers on the ship, and these were too
much absorbed in finding their state-rooms a