“Miss Elsworth,” said Ross, “I am sorry if Bessie has frightened you very badly.”
“Oh, she has not frightened me in the least.”
“I am very sorry she has troubled you, but it is almost impossible to keep her at home, unless we keep her in close confinement, and that seems very hard, as she is fond of roving.”
“You need not keep her in confinement on my account, for I assure you I am not afraid of her.”
“There, now, Ross, you see she is not afraid of me, and I am sure I would not hurt her ma out there, would I?” she said, bursting into a loud laugh, then quickly checking herself as Ross frowned and spoke her name.
“Come, Bessie, let us go home.”
“I won’t go one step until I have looked at all these pretty pictures, so, Ross, you can wait.”
Ross accepted the chair Miss Elsworth offered him, and a full hour passed before Bessie consented to go home.
“Let me tell you something before I go,” she said, going to Blanche’s side, and placing her arm about her neck. “You are not afraid of me, and when I come to see you again,” here she bent close and whispered, “I’ll tell you if you’ll never tell. I only tell it to people who are not crazy.”