lease
myself by giving you this surprise."

"It is very pretty," holding it out for Bessie's inspection; "but I have
more ornaments than I know how to use now. I am sorry you bought it,
mamma; it must have cost so much money."

"Do you think I begrudge you anything?" replied Mrs. Sefton, who was
much chagrined by this reception of her gift.

Edna looked up at this moment, and saw the disappointed look on her
mother's face. Her better feelings were touched, and she threw her arms
round her neck.

"Mother dear, why will you load me so with things?" she remonstrated.
"You give me everything, and I do nothing for you in return; please
don't give me anything more for a long time. I am horribly discontented,
nothing seems to give me pleasure; even this beautiful pin is wasted on
me."

"Don't talk so, Edna," returned her mother, with the tears in her eyes;
"if you knew how it troubled me to hear you. There is nothing that I
would not do to make you happy, but if you talk in that way you take all
the spirit out of me."

"Then I won't talk so any more," replied Edna, repentantly; and she
fastened the brilliant pin in some lace she wore, and begged them both
to admire it; and she was very affectionate to her mother all that
evening, and seemed bent on making her smile.

Mrs. Sefton looked almost happy that night; she thought Edna looked
better and more like herself, and she had not coughed once, and no one
knew that as the girl took off her trinket that night she suddenly hid
her face in her hands and wept.

"It is all no use, mother," she sobbed; "no money can buy me content nor
make me good and happy; if I were only like Bessie--Bessie is worthy of
him, but I never was--I never was!"

When Bessie had been with her friends more than a week she began to
wonder that there was no news of Richard, and one day she asked Edna if
he were all alone at The Grange.

"Yes, I believe so," was the careless answer; "but Richard is a regular
old bachelor, and he will not be dull."

"But he comes to see you sometimes?"

"He has not been yet, but that is mamma's fault, and not Ritchie's; he
wrote on Wednesday to say he was coming from Saturday to Monday, but
mamma said she wanted the room for Miss Shelton, and after all, she did
not come; so it was a pity Richard should be disappointed; and now Miss
Shelton may come next week, and there is no room for him again. Mamma
has just written to say that she cannot possibly have him unti