And, oh, dear! to think he may be away two nights, and I'm longing so to tell him how sorry I am for being so cross this morning, and before that, too, and to have him take me in his arms and kiss me, and say all is right between us, that I don't know how to wait a single minute!" She reached home in a sad and tearful mood.

Ella, however, proved so entertaining and mirth-provoking a companion, that the evening passed quickly, and by no means unpleasantly.
But when the two had retired to their respective apartments, Zoe felt very lonely, and said to herself that she would rather have Edward there, even silent and displeased, as he had been for several days past, than be without him.
Her last thought before falling asleep, and her first on awaking next morning, were of him.
"Oh, dear!" she sighed half aloud, as she opened her eyes, and glanced round the room, "what shall I do if he doesn't come to-day?
I'll have to stand it, of course; but what does a woman do who has no husband ?" And for the first time she began to feel some sympathy for Miss Deane, as a lonely maiden lady.
She thought a good deal about her unwelcome guest while attending to the duties of the toilet, and determined to treat her with all possible kindness during the remainder of her enforced stay at Ion.

So, meeting, on her way to the breakfast-room, the old negress who had been given charge of Miss Deane through the night, she stopped her, and asked how her patient was.
"Jes' pow'ful cross dis hyar mawnin', Miss Zoe," was the reply, in a tone of disgust.

"Dar isn't one ob de fambly dat would be makin' half de fuss ef dey'd sprained bofe dey's ankles.

Doan ye go nigh her, honey, fear she bite yo' head off." "Indeed I sha'n't, Aunt Phillis, if there's any danger of that," laughed Zoe.