y much mortified and displeased Edward; and his manner, when
they retired that night to their private apartments, was many degrees
colder than it had been in the morning. He considered himself forbearing
in refraining from remark to Zoe on her behavior; while she said to
herself, she would rather he would scold her, and have done with it,
than keep on looking like a thunder-cloud, and not speaking at all. He
was not more disgusted with her conduct than she was herself, and she
would own it in a minute if he would but say a kind word to open the
way.

But he did not; and they made their preparations for the night and
sought their pillows in uncomfortable silence, Zoe wetting hers with
tears before she slept.

CHAPTER IV.

"Forbear sharp speeches to her. She's a lady
So tender of rebukes, that words are strokes,
And strokes death to her."--SHAKSPEARE.

As we have said, the storm lasted for a week; and all that time Edward
and Zoe were slowly drifting farther and farther apart.

But at last the clouds broke and the sun shone out cheerily. It was
about the middle of the forenoon when this occurred.

"Oh," cried Miss Deane, "do see the sun! Now I shall no longer need to
encroach upon your hospitality, my kind entertainers. I can go home by
this afternoon's train, if you, Mr. Travilla, will be so very good as to
take or send me to the depot."

"The Ion carriage is quite at your service," he returned politely.

"Thanks," she said; "then I'll just run up to my room, and do my bit of
packing."

She hurried out to the hall, then the front door was heard to open; and
the next minute a piercing shriek brought master, mistress, and servants
running out to the veranda to inquire the cause.

Miss Deane lay there groaning, and crying out "that she had sprained her
ankle terribly; she had slipped on a bit of ice, and fallen; and oh!
when now would she be able to go home?"

The question found an echo in Zoe's heart, and she groaned inwardly at
the thought of having this most unwelcome guest fastened upon her for
weeks longer.

Yet she pitied her pain, and was anxious to do what she could for her
relief. She hastened to the medicine-closet in search of remedies; while
Edward and Uncle Ben gently lifted the sufferer, carried her in, and
laid her on the sofa.

Also a messenger was at once despatched for Dr. Conly. Zoe stationed
herself at a front window of the drawing-room to watch for his coming.
Presently Edward