



Produced by Juliet Sutherland and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net









[Illustration: "HOW GOOD OF YOU TO COME!" SHE EXCLAIMED. BESSIE SAW SHE
HAD BEEN CRYING.]




    OUR BESSIE

    BY

    ROSA NOUCHETTE CAREY

    AUTHOR OF "MERLE'S CRUSADE," "NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS,"
    "ONLY THE GOVERNESS," ETC.

    THE MERSHON COMPANY

    RAHWAY, N. J.    NEW YORK




CONTENTS.


                                           PAGE

    CHAPTER I.
    BESSIE MEETS WITH AN ADVENTURE            1

    CHAPTER II.
    "HERE IS OUR BESSIE"                     16

    CHAPTER III.
    HATTY                                    31

    CHAPTER IV.
    A COSY MORNING                           46

    CHAPTER V.
    THE OATLANDS POST-MARK                   61

    CHAPTER VI.
    LITTLE MISS MUCH-AFRAID                  74

    CHAPTER VII.
    IN THE KENTISH LANES                     87

    CHAPTER VIII.
    AT THE GRANGE                           101

    CHAPTER IX.
    RICHARD SEFTON                          115

    CHAPTER X.
    BESSIE IS INTRODUCED TO BILL SYKES      129

    CHAPTER XI.
    EDNA HAS A GRIEVANCE                    148

    CHAPTER XII.
    THE FIRST SUNDAY AT THE GRANGE          156

    CHAPTER XIII.
    WHITEFOOT IN REQUISITION                171

    CHAPTER XIV.
    BESSIE SNUBS A HERO                     183

    CHAPTER XV.
    "SHE WILL NOT COME"                     197

    CHAPTER XVI.
    A NOTE FROM HATTY                       209

    CHAPTER XVII.
    "TROUBLE MAY COME TO ME ONE DAY"        222

    CHAPTER XVIII.
    "FAREWELL, NIGHT"                       236

    CHAPTER XIX.
    "I MUST NOT THINK OF MYSELF"            249

    CHAPTER XX.
    "BESSIE'S SECOND FLITTING"              263

    CHAPTER XXI.
    ON THE PARADE                           276

    CHAPTER XXII.
    BESSIE BUYS A JAPANESE FAN              289

    CHAPTER XXIII.
    MRS. SEFTON HAS ANOTHER VISITOR         303

    CHAPTER XXIV.
    IN THE COOMBE WOODS                     318




OUR BESSIE.




CHAPTER I.

BESSIE MEETS WITH AN ADVENTURE.


It was extremely tiresome!

It was vexatious; it was altogether annoying!

Most people under similar circumstances would have used stronger
expressions, would have bemoaned themselves loudly, or at least
inwardly, with all the pathos of self-pity.

To be nearly at the end of one's journey, almost within sight and sound
of home