dreariest time," she said; "it drags on so heavily."

Mellen promised her, and she was childishly happy.

"You shall have an early dinner, Grant, and then we'll take tea in the
evening, and eat toast and jam just as we did when I was a child."

"Yes, that will be very comfortable."

He had tried to say pleasant, but he could not speak the word. The day
was so warm and bright that a little after noon he took her out for a
short drive, then she lay down to rest again, resolved to be strong and
pass the evening below. The change was pleasant to her--she felt quite
elated, as she always was in health, at the idea of amusement.

They got through the day rather quietly, and Elsie did not have a single
relapse of her nervous tremors.

When she awoke from her afternoon nap it was growing dark. She cried out
quite joyfully when she saw Grantley sitting by the bed:

"It is almost evening at last!"

At that moment Victoria appeared at the door.

"Come in," Mellen said; "what do you want?"

Victoria entered on tip-toe, though she knew plainly enough that her
young mistress was awake, and whispered in the doleful semitone she
reserved for sick rooms:

"If you please, Mister Fuller's just arrived, and he's a asking after
all of you in a breath."

Elsie started up on her pillows, and the brother and sister looked at
each other in blank dismay when they thought of the blow that must be
inflicted upon the warm, honest heart of Elizabeth's cousin.

"Go and say that we will be down," said Elsie, recovering her presence
of mind.

Victoria departed, and Grantley cried out passionately:

"How can I tell him? Poor Tom, he will nearly die."

"You must not tell him yet," said Elsie, "not one word--just say Bessie
is absent."

"Such prevarication is useless, Elsie, he must know the truth."

Elsie began to cry.

"There, you are contradicting me already. I won't go down--I shall be
sick again--my head swims now."

"Don't distress yourself, dear, don't."

"Then let me have my own way," she pleaded.

"What do you wish? Anything to content you."

"That's a good brother," said Elsie. "Go down and merely tell Tom I have
been very sick, and that Bessie has gone to New York--anywhere--not a
word more."

"But he will wonder at her absence during your illness."

"No, he never wonders; it doesn't make any difference."

"I detest these white lies, Elsie."

"Oh, well, if you want to kill me with a scene, go and tell Tom," she