for my sake, and just to
please me; do Edna, dear."

"I cannot give it up," was Edna's answer; "but I will not argue any more
about it. Make up your mind quickly, Bessie, for there is no time to
lose." And so saying, she left the room, and a moment afterward Bessie
heard her ringing for her maid.

Bessie had never felt more distressed; she was so tired and so perplexed
how to act, that she could almost have cried from worry. "If I go with
her, will not Mrs. Sefton and Mr. Richard have a right to be offended
with me?" she thought. "They will not know that I have tried to turn
Edna from her purpose; they do not know me well enough to be sure of my
motives. Edna told him that I wanted to see polo played; they may
believe that I was willing to go. I cannot bear to put myself in this
position; and yet, will it be right to let her go alone? Will they not
blame me for that, too? Oh, how I wish I could speak to Mr. Sefton; but
he is away. What shall I do? I must decide. It seems such a little thing
to pray about, and yet little things bring big consequences. No, I can't
moralize; I am too worried. Why can I not see the right thing to do at
once?"

Bessie sat and reflected a moment, and then a sudden impulse came to
her, and she opened her blotting-case, and wrote a few hurried lines.

"Dear Mrs. Sefton," she wrote, "I am so troubled, I hardly know what to
do. Edna has just told me that she intends to drive over to Staplehurst
after luncheon to see polo played, and has asked me to accompany her. I
cannot induce her to give it up. Please do not think that I have not
tried. I know how much you and Mr. Sefton were against it; but I do not
think you would wish me to stay behind. She ought not to go alone. I
feel you will be less anxious if I go with her." Bessie dashed off these
few lines, and then dressed herself hurriedly; but before she had half
finished the gong sounded.

As she ran downstairs she met Dixon, the butler, coming out of the
dining-room, and putting the note in his hand, begged that he would give
it to his mistress directly she returned.

"Certainly, ma'am," replied Dixon civilly; and it struck Bessie that he
looked at her in an approving manner. He was an old servant, too, and
most likely was accustomed to his young mistress' vagaries. "We expect
my mistress home at six, and I will take care she gets the note," he
continued, as he opened the door for her.

CHAPTER XIV.

BESSIE SNUBS A HERO.

"So