"No, Grey. I would rather be your wife than the grandest duchess in the
world, but I am thinking of Neil and his father, and how hard it is for
them to be so poor. Grey"--and rising from her stool, Bessie seated
herself on her husband's lap, and, winding her arms around his neck, and
laying her soft, warm check against his bearded one, said again; "Grey,
I want to ask you something--want to do something. Can I?"

"Yes, do what you like. Ask me what you like. What is it, darling?" Grey
answered her, and Bessie replied:

"I want to give a thousand pounds of my money to Neil and a thousand to
his father. That is not much, I know, but the interest upon it will put
Uncle John in better lodgings than he can now afford, and it will help
Neil, too. Only think of three hundred pounds a year after all he has
been accustomed to spend. What do you think, Grey?"

Grey's arm tightened its clasp around the girlish figure, and his lips
touched Bessie's white forehead as he said:

"I think you the most generous, unselfish little woman in all the world.
And so I am sure would Neil, if he knew what you proposed; but, Bessie,
I do not believe he would like it, or like you to offer it to him. He
has more manhood than that. Poverty is hard to bear, but it will not
hurt him. On the contrary, having to work for his living will bring out
the very best there is in him, and make him a man. He will not starve or
even suffer want on three hundred pounds a year; it is more than many a
working man has with a large family to support. So do not waste your
sympathy on Neil, who can take care of himself; but his father is old,
and the change will be hard upon him. Was he not born at Stoneleigh?"

"I think so. Yes," Bessie answered, and Grey continued:

"Neil says he likes the country and laments the loss of Elm Park. Now,
this is my suggestion; Anthony and Dorothy ought to have some one with
them in their old age. How would you like taking a part of that two
thousand pounds you are so anxious to dispose of, and with it repair and
fit up this place into a comfortable and pleasant home for Mr.
McPherson, whenever he chooses to stay here? The rest of the two
thousand you can invest for his use as long as he lives, and the
interest of it will add to his present moderate income. What do you
think of my plan?"

"I think it the very best that could be adopted, and I shall write to
Neil to-night, so it will go in the first mail to-morrow," Bessie said,
an