ing look, which he, however, returned with one so
kind and re-assuring that she immediately recovered her spirits, and was
able to do the honors of the table with ease and grace.

Coming upon her in that room alone, an hour later, just as she had
dismissed Aunt Dicey with her orders for the day, "Little wife," he
said, bending down to give her the coveted caress, "I owe you an
explanation."

"No, Ned, dear, I don't ask it of you: I know it is all right," she
answered, flushing with happiness, and her eyes smiling up into his.

"Still, I think it best to explain," he said. "I had finished attending
to the little matters I spoke of,--writing a note, and giving some
directions to Uncle Ben,--and was on my way back to our apartments, when
Miss Deane met me on the stairway, and asked if I would go into the
library with her, and help her to look up a certain passage in one of
Shakspeare's plays, which she wished to quote in a letter she was
writing. She was anxious to have it perfectly correct, she said, and
would be extremely obliged for my assistance in finding it."

"And you could not in politeness refuse. I know that, Ned, and please
don't think me jealous."

"I know, dear, that you try not to be; and it shall be my care to avoid
giving you the least occasion. And I do again earnestly assure you, you
need have no fear that the first place in my heart will not always be
yours."

"I don't fear it," she said; "and yet,--O Ned! it is misery to me to
have to share your society with that woman, even for a day or two!"

"I don't know how I can help you out of it," he said, after a moment's
consideration, "unless by shutting myself up alone,--to attend to
correspondence or something,--and leaving you to entertain her by
yourself. Shall I do that?"

"Oh, no! unless you much prefer it. I think it would set me wild to have
her whole attention concentrated upon me," Zoe answered with an uneasy
laugh.

So they went together to the parlor, where Miss Deane sat waiting for
them, or rather for Edward.

She had the chess-board out, the men placed, and at once challenged him
to a renewal of last night's contest.

He accepted, of course; and they played without intermission till
lunch-time, Zoe sitting by, for the most part silent, and wishing Miss
Deane miles away from Ion.

This proved a worse day to her than either of the preceding ones. Miss
Deane succeeded several times in rousing her to an exhibition of temper
that ver