ght, and complaints were made that the room was close."

Toward evening of the next day our friends in the cliff cottages began
to look for the return of the Edna with the four young men of their
party. But night fell, and yet they had not arrived.

Elsie began to feel anxious, but tried not to allow her disturbance to
be perceived, especially by Zoe, who seemed restless and ill at ease,
going often out to the edge of the cliff and gazing long and intently
toward that quarter of the horizon where she had seen the Edna disappear
on the morning she sailed out of Nantucket harbor.

She sought her post of observation for the twentieth time just before
sunset, and remained there till it grew too dark to see much beyond the
line of breakers along the shore below.

Turning to re-enter the house, she found Captain Raymond standing by her
side.

"O captain," she cried, "isn't it time the Edna was in?"

"I rather supposed they would be in a little earlier than this, but am
not at all surprised that they are not," he answered, in a cheery tone.
"Indeed, it is quite possible that they may not get in till to-morrow.
When they left it was uncertain that they would come back to-day. So, my
good sister, I think we have no cause for anxiety."

"Then I shall try not to be anxious," she said; "but it seems like a
month since I parted from Ned, and it's a sore disappointment not to see
him to-night. I don't know how Vi stands your long absences, captain."

"Don't you suppose it's about as hard for me as for her, considering
how charming she is?" he asked, lightly.

"Perhaps it is; but men don't live in their affections as women do; love
is only half the world to the most loving of them, I verily believe,
while it's all the world to us."

"There is some truth in that," he acknowledged; "we men are compelled to
give much time and thought to business, yet many of us are ardent lovers
or affectionate husbands. I, for one, am extremely fond of wife and
children."

"Yes, I am sure of it, and quite as sure that Ned is very fond of me."

"There isn't a doubt of it. I think I have never seen a happier couple
than you seem to be, or than Leland and his Elsie; yet Violet and I will
not yield the palm to either of you."

"And was there ever such a mother-in-law as mamma?" said Zoe. "I don't
remember my own mother very distinctly, but I do not believe I could
have loved her much better than I do Edward's mother."

"Words would fail me i