asking:

"Where's Emily?"

This was splendid! Bessie had come to spend the night! And, quickly
drying her tears and forgetting her heartache, Emily rushed out to
greet her friend and to find that the whole Black family were
there--Tom, the motherly Mrs. Black, and Bessie.

"Oh, Emily, I just had t' come t' see you off!" exclaimed Bessie, as
the two girls rushed together and hugged each other in delight. "I
coaxes, an' coaxes, an' coaxes Father t' bring me over, an' he just
teases me an' says he's busy, an' Mr. McDonald can't spare he, till
this mornin' he says we're comin'. An' all th' time he an' Mother's
plannin' t' come!"

"'Twon't do t' tell a maid everything you plans t' do," Tom chuckled.

Bessie pursed up her red lips, and tossing her head at him laughed
gaily, showing her dimples.

"Oh, but you just had t' come anyway, for I'd never give you a bit o'
peace if you hadn't."

Her cheeks flushed with excitement and her eyes sparkling with
pleasure, Tom looked at her proudly, and could not refrain from the
remark:

"She ain't a very humbly lass, now be she, Richard?"

"Now, Father, stop teasin' Bessie," cautioned Mrs. Black. "He's always
teasin' th' lass."

"I'm just dyin' t' see your things, Emily!" exclaimed Bessie, as Emily
took her friend's bonnet and wraps. "An, I couldn't let you go without
seein' you. An' I'm goin' t' stay awhile, too, with your mother.
She'll be so lonesome without somebody t' talk to when you goes."

"Oh, Bessie! How wonderful glad I am o' that! I were just thinkin' how
lonesome Mother were goin' t' be with me an' Bob both gone--an'--an'
'twere makin' me feel bad;" and Emily brushed away a tear.

"We'll not be lettin' your mother, nor father, either, get lonesome,"
said Douglas, patting her shoulder gently and looking down in his
kindly way into her face. "Bessie'll be 'bidin' here till I comes back
in October, an' then she'll be comin' again after th' New Year for a
long stop. An' I'll be comin' once every week, whatever."

"Oh, I'm hopin' so!" Mrs. Gray exclaimed. "I'm not darin' t' think
about how 'twill be when Emily's gone."

"Now I knows, an' Tom knows; an' we was talkin' t' Douglas about un
when he were over t' th' post, an' we were sayin', 'Now Bessie'll have
t' go over an' 'bide awhile with Mary when Emily's gone,'" said Mrs.
Black.

"An' you never tells me, an' just lets me tease t' come!" pouted
Bessie.

"We were wantin' t' surprise you, lass. An'," Mrs. Blac