smoked in his life.

Making his toilet with all speed, and finding the soapstone and hot
water great comforts to him, he hastened down to the dining-room, where
he found Neil, looking rather tired and worn, and out of sorts, as if
there was something on his mind.

Neil had not slept well at all, though, after Archie, he had the best
bed and the best room in the house, and, his fire burned all night and
was replenished by Anthony, early in the morning. He had been restless,
and nervous, and had lain awake for hours, watching the flickering
firelight on the wall, thinking of Bessie, and wondering if she would
not be frozen stiff before morning.

He had known nothing of the exchange of rooms, and when he heard
footsteps in the north chamber, which adjoined his, though it did not
communicate with it, he supposed it was Bessie, and was surprised that
she stepped so heavily, and moved the chairs with such a jerk.

At last, however, all was still; Bessie was asleep, no doubt, and did
not feel the cold or hear the wind as he heard it moaning through the
old yew trees, and screaming around the house, as if it were some
restless spirit trying to get in. Suddenly, however, there was a sound
which made Neil start, and listen, and raise himself on his elbow to
make sure he was not mistaken.

"No I am not" he whispered to himself. "It is a _snore_," and he gave a
groan as he thought: "Bessie snoring! and such snores! who would imagine
that she could do anything so vulgar and unlady-like! Heavens and earth,
it is enough to raise the rafters! If I did not know Bessie was in
there. I'd swear it was a man. How can a girl--and Bessie of all
girls--go it like that?" and the fastidious Neil stopped his ears with
his fingers to shut out the obnoxious sounds which grew louder as Grey's
sleep became more profound.

There was a feeling of keen disappointment in Neil's heart, a sense of
something lost, or as if in some way he had been wronged, and then he
thought of Blanche, and wondered if she snored, and how he could find
out.

"It would be a tearer if she did, she is so much larger and coarser
every way than Bessie," he thought, as he finally put the pillow over
his head so that he could not hear.

At last, however, the sound ceased as Grey, who only snored when he was
very tired, half awoke and turned upon his side, nor was it resumed
again. But Neil could not sleep for thinking of it, and when at last he
did fall into a restless