Bessie was not dead, as the messenger boy had reported to Grey in
Florence, but the young girl from America, sick on the same floor, had
died about noon on the day of Grey's departure, and with his rather
limited knowledge of English the boy had mistaken her for Bessie. And as
her brother had arrived that morning and had sworn roundly at the
frightful bill presented to him, the boy had naturally confounded this
party with the one for whom Grey inquired, and thus had been the cause
of much needless pain and sorrow to both Jack Trevellian and Grey. Neil
had come from Naples on the morning train, very tired and worn with his
trip to Egypt, and a good deal out of sorts because of a letter received
from his mother in Naples in which she rated him soundly for his
extravagance, telling him he must economize, and that the check she sent
him--a very small one--must suffice until his return to England, where
she confidently expected him to marry Cousin Blanche before the season
was over.
"I hear," she wrote in conclusion, "that the widow of Archibald
McPherson is in Rome with her daughter, but I trust you will not allow
them to entangle you in any way.
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