rought
surcease of sorrow, for she slept.

As Aunt Fanny had predicted, she found that her complexion had indeed
bleached out to its natural color by the next morning. Cheered in spite
of herself by this fact she went down to breakfast with lighter heart.
Doctor Raymond's pleased look showed that he marked the improvement in
her appearance, but he made no comment. Neither did he refer to the
conversation of the day before until the close of the meal. Then he
said:

"Beatrice, yesterday you said that I shut you out from me; that I did
not know you because I did not try to. I have not meant to be guilty of
such a thing, but there was enough of truth in your remarks to make me
feel that perhaps I have been somewhat negligent of you. You shall have
no further cause to accuse me of this; so, if you are willing, we will
drop all unpleasant things and make a new start. Part of each day I
shall be obliged to devote to my forthcoming book, and those hours I
must be alone. All the rest of the time, however, you may spend with
me."

"Oh, father!" cried Bee in surprise. "Do you mean that I am really to be
with you? Even when you are in the study arranging your specimens?"

"Just that, Beatrice. We will learn to know each other, and it may be
that we shall find that companionship to which, it seems, we both looked
forward. There is but one thing that I would ask of you: don't try to
be like any one else. Let me see you as you are."

"I can promise that easily," answered Beatrice cheerfully, her spirits
rising at the knowledge that she was in very truth to have his
companionship. "I really don't want to be like any one else. I'd rather
be just myself. And I don't like this yellow hair. I didn't know that it
wasn't refined to bleach it. One of the girls at school did it, and
while the rest of us laughed about it, we thought it looked nice. I
would rather have my own colored hair even though it is dark; but this
won't last, father. Miss Harris said that it would have to be touched up
every once in a while. Of course the ends will always be yellow, but
just as soon as it grows long enough I'll cut it off, and have my own
dark locks again."

"I am glad that it will not be permanent," remarked her father. "Let us
say no more about it. It does not look so bad as it might, and the mere
fact that you did not bleach it through vanity makes me more tolerant of
it. Now, my child, I am going for a walk over the grounds, and would
like yo