s at Max's door, something took Edward to their rooms. He was
there but a moment--just long enough to pick up the article he wanted--and
hurrying down the hall again, caught the sound of her voice as he reached
the head of the stairway.

For an instant he stood still, debating with himself whether to interfere
or not; then deciding in the negative, passed on down the stairs more
angry with her than ever.

She was defying riot only his authority, but also that of his grandfather
and mother, and interfering with their management of the children
committed to their care by their own father. Truly, he feared he had made
a sad mistake in putting such a child into a woman's position, where she
felt herself entitled to rights, for whose proper exercise she had not yet
sufficient judgment or self-control.

As he entered the drawing-room, Miss Deane, who was seated at a table
looking over a portfolio of drawings and engravings, called him to her
side.

"You have visited these places, Mr. Travilla," she said, "and I want the
benefit of your explanations, and your opinion whether the pictures are
true to nature. They are European views, I see."

Of course he could not, without great rudeness, refuse to take a seat by
her side and give her the information she requested.

So it happened that when Zoe came in presently after, her anger was
intensely aroused by seeing her husband and Miss Deane seated at a distant
table, apart from the rest of the occupants of the room, laughing and
talking with their heads very close together over an engraving.

Edward lifted his just in time to catch her look of mingled amazement,
scorn, and indignation. He flushed hotly, and remembering what he had just
overheard up-stairs, and what had passed between them in the
apple-orchard, gave her an angry glance in return.

She drew her slight, girlish figure up to its full height, and turning
away, crossed the room toward a sofa where Mrs. Dinsmore and a bachelor
gentleman of the neighborhood sat conversing together.

A sudden impulse seized her as Mr. Larned rose and took her hand in
greeting, Mrs. Dinsmore being called from the room at the same moment by a
servant, who said that some one was waiting in the hall to speak to her.

"I'll pay Edward back in his own coin," Zoe said to herself, and Mr.
Larned was surprised at the great cordiality and winning sweetness of her
manner as she took the vacated seat by his side, then at the spirit and
vivac