acknowledged Bee, "but--"

"Your first mistake, my dear, for you are a little to blame for the
state of things," went on the lady, "was on that first night. You should
have laughed at the blunder as of no consequence. I can see how such a
course would be impossible to one of your temperament, for you are very
intense, and the thing seemed a little short of tragic to you. That is
past. Think no more of it. Your second mistake was in trying to make
yourself like your cousin. That was a confession of weakness."

"It was as the animals do to protect themselves from enemies," explained
Bee. "It is called protective mimicry."

"I don't know what it is called, child. Whatever it is, it is done only
by those animals that are incapable of caring for themselves. Now, my
dear, why don't you throw yourself into your father's arms, and tell him
all your troubles, just as you have me?"

"I wouldn't dare," said Bee in such a tone of reverence that the lady
broke into a musical peal of laughter. "You would understand if you
knew him, Mrs. Medulla. There is no one quite like him. He is so
learned, so reserved, so--"

"Tut, tut! He may be all that, but still he is a man. He may be just
waiting for some token of love and affection from you. Remember,
Beatrice, you know more of him than he does of you. You have been where
you could talk with your aunt and uncle about him, while he knows you
only by your letters. As you show yourself to him now, so he must judge
of you."

"I see," mused Bee thoughtfully.

"We are through with your mistakes, Beatrice. Did you know that you have
some claims to beauty yourself?"

"What?" gasped Bee, so amazed that Mrs. Medulla laughed again.

"Am I telling secrets?" she asked.

"But, but I am not fair. My hair is dark, and my eyes are almost black."

"There are more kinds of beauty than one, Beatrice. Yours is the kind
that will increase with years. The Ugly Duckling sort which develops
into a beautiful Swan."

"Is it true?" asked the girl breathlessly. "No one ever told me that
before. Aunt Annie used to say that my only claim to beauty lay in the
expressiveness of my face."

"And in that very expressiveness lies the difficulty. When you are
bright and happy you are at your best. Sparkle and animation give you a
charm that is more than beauty of skin, or regularity of feature. Grief
robs you of this; so, if for no other reason, you should strive to put
unhappiness from you. Women who have bee