. Love waning becomes critical. Beth's own feeling for
Sammy had been a strong mental stimulant at first, and, in her
enjoyment of it, she had overlooked all his shortcomings. There was
nothing in him, however, to keep that feeling alive, and it had
gradually died of inanition. His slowness and want of imagination
first puzzled and then provoked her; and, little-boy-like, he had not
even been able to respond to such tenderness as she showed him--not
that she had ever showed him much tenderness, for they were just like
boys together. She had kissed him, however, once or twice, after a
quarrel, to make it up; but she did not like kissing him: little boys
are rank. His pretty colouring was all that he had had to attract her,
and that, alas! had lost its charm by this time. For a little longer
she looked out for him and troubled about him, then let him go
gradually--so gradually, that she never knew when exactly he lapsed
from her life altogether.

CHAPTER XX

For two years after Beth was outlawed by her mother, Great-Aunt
Victoria Bench was her one link with the civilised world. The intimacy
had lapsed a little while Sammy was the prevailing human interest in
Beth's life, but gradually as he ceased to be satisfactory, she
returned to the old lady, and hovered about her, seeking the
sustenance for which her poor little heart ached on always, and for
want of which her busy brain ran riot; and the old lady, who had not
complained of Beth's desertion, welcomed her back in a way which
showed that she had felt it.

For Great-Aunt Victoria Bench was lonely in the days of her poverty
and obscurity. Since the loss of her money, there had been a great
change in the attitude of most of her friends towards her, and such
attentions as she received were of a very different kind from those to
which she had been accustomed. Mrs. Caldwell had been the most
generous to her, for at the time that she had offered Aunt Victoria a
home in her house, she had not known that the old lady would be able
to pay her way at all. Fortunately Aunt Victoria had enough left for
that, but still her position in Mrs. Caldwell's house was not what it
would have been had she not lost most of her means. Mrs. Caldwell was
not aware of the fact, but her manner had insensibly adjusted itself
to Aunt Victoria's altered circumstances, her care and consideration
for her being as much reduced in amount as her income; and Aunt
Victoria felt the difference, bu