ly and half-shamefacedly, she raised her eyes.

"It's rather hard to tell you," she stammered, "you seem to be so mad at
me." She put a brave face on it. "I just told them that I was engaged to
you and that I had come to marry you." And she stood her ground, her
little head held up.

Fairfax stifled a shout, but was obliged to laugh gently.

"Why, Bella, you are the most ridiculous little cousin in the world. You
have read too much. Now, please don't cry, Bella."

He flung the door open and called: "Mrs. Kenny, Mrs. Kenny! Will you
come up-stairs?"

CHAPTER XIX

Those five hours were short to him travelling back to New York. Bella
talked to Fairfax until she was completely talked out. Leaning on him,
pouring out her childish confidences, telling him things, asking him
things, until his heart yearned over her, and he stored away the tones
of her sweet gay voice, exquisite with pathos when she spoke of
Gardiner, and naively tender when she said--

"Cousin Antony, I love you better than any one else. Why can't I stay
with you and be happy? I want to work for my living too. I could be a
factory girl."

_A factory girl!_

Then she fell asleep, her head on his shoulder, and was hardly awake
when they reached Miss Mitty's house and the cab stopped.

He said, "Bella, we are home."

She did not answer, and, big girl as she was, he carried her in asleep.

"I wish you could make her believe it's all a dream," he said to the
Whitcombs. "I don't want the Carews to know about it. It would be far
better if she could be induced to keep the secret."

"I am afraid you can't make Bella believe anything unless she likes, Mr.
Antony."

No one had missed her. From the Long Branch boat she had gone directly
to the Forty-second Street station, and started bravely away on her
sentimental journey.

The little ladies induced him to eat what they could prepare for him,
and he hurried away. He was obliged to take his train out at nine Monday
morning.

He bade them look after bold Bella and teach her reason, and before he
left he went in and looked at the little girl lying with her face on
her hand, the stains of tears and travel on her face.

"I told her that I had come to marry you, Cousin Antony...."

"Little cousin! Honey child!"

His heart was tender to his discarded little love.

CHAPTER XX

Bella Carew's visit did disastrous work for Fairfax. The day following
he was like a dead man at his engine, m