n fact, a
remarkably worthy woman."

I couldn't deny that; but why should he choose such a time and place to
compliment her?

"Do you know," he added, with a still nearer approach to embarrassment
in his manner, and something like a blush on his usually calm face, "I
have asked her to become Mrs. Desmond."

"The devil you have!" was my thought as astonishment fairly overcame
me. I didn't say it, though, but it was my turn to be embarrassed, and I
hardly knew what to say.

Having got it out, Mr. Desmond fairly recovered his equanimity. "Yes,"
he said, "I put the idea away from me for a long time, but it would
persist in growing upon me, and I finally concluded that perhaps it
might contribute to the happiness of _all_ parties, so I have taken the
plunge. I hope you approve of it," he added, with a queer twinkle in his
eye.

"With all my heart, sir," I said earnestly; "and I am sure it will be as
pleasing as it is surprising to us all."

Throughout that afternoon I was restless, and eager to get home to tell
Bessie the wonderful news. It was the longest afternoon I ever saw, but
at length it passed and I hurried home. As Bessie met me at the door I
said eagerly, "I've got a surprise for you, deary."

Now I noticed for the first time that she was all smiles and full of
something that she was eager to surprise me with. Simultaneously each
recognized that the other had the secret already. Of course; what a
fool I was! Her mother naturally enough would tell her while Mr. Desmond
broke the matter to me.

"Isn't it jolly?" I said.

"Why, Charlie, are you then so anxious to get rid of poor, dear mamma?"
she said, half reproachfully and half teasingly.

"Oh, no, of course not, but it is really nice for all of us, isn't it
now? She won't be far off, you know; we shall have our little home all
to ourselves, and Mr. Desmond will be a sort of guardian for us. And as
I said before, I think it is jolly."

"Well, I must confess I do not altogether like the idea of mamma
marrying again, and I shall miss her very much, after all."

I couldn't help laughing at the little woman's demure countenance, as
she said this. There was a little trace of jealousy in her gentle
heart--jealousy so natural to women--at the idea of another's taking her
mother off, just as that good woman had been jealous at her taking off.
I accused her of it, and she repudiated the idea.

But everybody must admit that things had fallen out just right fo