ly know in a year, perhaps not in a lifetime. "Who knows?"
I thought; "perhaps I have wronged my mother-in-law."

CHAPTER XIII.

A SURPRISE.

We were feeling a little solemn at the cottage. George, with his lively
ways, and Clara, with her sparkling vivacity, were away on their wedding
tour, and our good friend, Mr. Desmond, to whom we had taken a great
liking, was about to sail for an indefinite absence in foreign lands.
Though the mother-in-law's presence was less oppressive than formerly,
there was now a pensiveness, an air of departed glory about it, that was
not cheerful. There was danger of settling down to a humdrum sort of
life, free from strife, perhaps, but at the same time devoid of that
buoyancy which should make the home of a young couple joyous.

I was a little doubtful of making a vacation in the country this summer.
To be sure, when George went away, it was agreed that after he had gone
the round of the White Mountains, the attractions of Canada, Niagara
Falls, and Saratoga, he would return for a quiet stay of a few weeks, at
the close of the season, to the little resort which we had visited a
year ago, and there, if Bessie's health would permit, and I could
arrange for a sufficient absence from business, we would join them. But
I almost dreaded taking Mrs. Pinkerton with us, and doubted whether she
would go; at the same time, I did not like to propose leaving her behind
to take care of the cottage. I was in perplexity, and, notwithstanding
my splendid new prospects in business, was not feeling cheerful.

Coming home from a restless round of the city on the Fourth of July,
where I had found the great national holiday a bore, I noticed Mr.
Desmond's team coming up to the garden gate with a brisk turn. That fine
old gentleman--I always feel like calling him old on account of his gray
whiskers, though he was little more than fifty--came down the walk and
with stately politeness assisted Bessie and the baby out of the
carriage. I looked to see Mrs. Pinkerton follow, but she was not there,
and clearly Mr. Desmond had not been to ride. It struck me as a little
queer, not to say amusing, that they had been having a quiet
_tete-a-tete_ together in the cottage while John gave Bessie and the
baby their airing. But then, it was not so strange either, for was he
not going to leave us in two days? It was no uncommon thing for Mrs.
Pinkerton to stay within while Bessie was out, and he had probably
dropped