all be his princess. He's awful rich, too; our horrid old uncle left
him everything. I haven't got the value of a hair bracelet all my
own--that's another secret. The girls all think we share and share
alike, and I want them to keep up the idea; but you are different. Don't
you see it would be horrid hard for me if my brother should marry some
close, stingy thing, that might even grudge me a home at Piney Bend; but
with you--oh Bessie! Promise me that you will marry him."

Here Elsie flung down the stem of her grapes, and reaching out her arms,
threw them lovingly around Elizabeth's neck.

"Promise me, promise me!"

"You foolish darling! Lie down and be quiet, or I shall think you
light-headed again."

"But you shall, I declare you shall!--Hush! there is some one at the
door. Come in!"

A servant opened the door and informed the young ladies that Mr. Mellen
was in the parlor.

"Tell him to come up," said Elsie.

The servant went out, and Elsie sat up among her pillows, twisting that
splendid mass of hair around her head. As she stooped forward, her eyes
fell on the litter of broken flowers, and she called out eagerly,

"Oh Bessie, do sweep them up; throw them out of the window, under the
bed, anywhere, so that he does not know about them. There would be no
end to his questions, if he saw so much as a broken rose bud."

Elizabeth swept up the scattered flowers with her hands and cast them
through the open window, scarcely heeding what the girl said about them,
in the agitation of the moment. As she turned from the open sash,
Grantley Mellen came into the room. He was indeed a grand and noble
looking man, with dignity in his manner, and character in his face;
evidently possessed of strong but subdued passions, and a power of
concentration that might engender prejudices difficult to overcome. That
he was upright and honorable, you saw at a glance. When he sat down by
that fair young creature, and took her hand in his, the tenderness in
his voice and eyes thrilled Elizabeth to the heart. Elsie it simply
gratified.

"Why Bessie," she said, with threatening mischief in her eyes, "you
haven't spoken to Grant yet."

"Because he was occupied with you," answered Elizabeth with grave
dignity, that kept down the rebellious spirit in Elsie's eyes. "Now I
will shake hands with Mr. Mellen and go down to my class."

With a gentle, but not altogether unembarrassed greeting, the young lady
went out of the room, leaving the