"Then I must ask him."

"If you wish to play the part of a true friend to me, you will let
the matter pass by and say nothing. You must understand that,
circumstanced as we are, your brother's visit here,--what I mean is,
that it is very difficult for me to act and speak exactly as I
should do, and a few unfortunate words spoken may make my position
unendurable."

"Will you answer me one question?"

"I cannot tell. I think I will."

"Do you love him?" For a moment or two Bessy remained silent,
striving to arrange her words so that they should contain no
falsehood, and yet betray no truth. "Ah, I see you do," continued
Miss Holmes. "But of course you do. Why else did you accept him?"

"I fancied that I did, as young ladies do sometimes fancy."

"And will you say that you do not, now?" Again Bessy was silent,
and then her friend rose from her seat. "I see it all," she said.
"What a pity it was that you both had not some friend like me by you
at the time! But perhaps it may not be too late."

I need not repeat at length all the protestations which upon this
were poured forth with hot energy by poor Bessy. She endeavoured to
explain how great had been the difficulty of her position. This
Christmas visit had been arranged before that unhappy affair at