ver, with a fleeting blush like
the sunset glow.

They were quite alone, with no envious eyes peering in the dim night
light, and Love took his charming sweetheart in his arms and clasped and
kissed her many times in passionate love.

"'This last night!' how solemn it sounds!" he echoed, then laughed. "Oh,
my love, my love! what rapture to know that after to-night we never
shall be parted again!"

"Never, never!" she cried, joyfully, and clasped her white arms around
his neck, laying her soft cheek to his, whispering: "Oh, how glad I am
that you love me, that you chose me for your very own, life of your
life, heart of your heart! I thank God for His goodness to me, and I
will try always to deserve my great happiness."

Sweet, shy Dainty had never spoken to her lover with such ardor and
eloquence before, and his reply was such a shower of kisses that she
could hardly tear herself away to enter her own room, where her mother
waited, and said, laughingly:

"Darling, I thought you and Love were not going to say good-night till
the morning dawned!"

CHAPTER XVIII

THE WEDDING MORN.

Love retired into his room and sat down beside the window to brood over
his great happiness.

Something like humility blended with his grateful thoughts.

Who was he, what had he done, that Heaven should be so good to him,
giving him the fairest, truest, sweetest girl in the world for his
adored and loving bride?

He lifted his dark, dreamy eyes to the moonlit heavens and prayed
reverentially:

"God make me worthy of the prize I have won!"

From the next room he could hear the low murmur of voices, as Dainty
conversed with her mother in happy tones; but by and by all grew silent,
as the fair girl sank to sleep, nestling against her mother's heart for
the last time, for to-morrow would give her to her husband's arms.

Love heard the clock in the tower chime the midnight hour, and retired
to dream of the happiness that would be his to-morrow.

And never came fairer dreams of the future to any lover's heart, as
surely no lover's heart had ever been so bound up in its beauteous idol.

"Love thee? So well, so tenderly
Thou'rt loved, adored by me,
Fame, fortune, wealth, and liberty
Were worthless without thee.
Though brimmed with blessings pure and rare
Life's cup before me lay,
Unless thy love were mingled there,
I'd spurn the draught away.

"Without thy smile the monarch's