hour ago.

His eyes filled as he read, and two great drops fell as he laid it down.

He picked up the lamp and hastened back to her.

As he drew near she opened her eyes, sent one frightened glance round the
room and up into his pale, troubled face, then covering hers with her
hands, burst into hysterical weeping.

He set down the lamp, knelt by her sofa and gathered her in his arms,
resting her head against his breast.

"Zoe, my little Zoe, my own dear wife!" he said in faltering accents,
"have I really been so cruel that you despair of my love? Why, my darling,
no greater calamity than your loss could possibly befall me. I love you
dearly, dearly! better far than I did when I asked you to be mine--when we
gave ourselves to each other."

"Oh, is it true? do you really love me yet in spite of all my jealousy and
wilfulness, and--and--oh, I have been very bad and ungrateful and
troublesome!" she sobbed, clinging about his neck.

"And I have been too dictatorial and stern," he said, kissing her again
and again. "I have not had the patience I ought to have had with my little
girl-wife, have not been so forbearing and kind as I meant to be."

"Indeed, you have been very patient and forbearing," she returned, "and
would never have been cross to me if I hadn't provoked you beyond
endurance. I have been very bad to you, dear Ned, but if you'll keep me
and love me I'll try to behave better."

"I'll do both," he said, holding her closer and repeating his caresses.

"Oh, I'm so glad, so glad!" she cried, with the tears running over her
cheeks, "so glad I have to weep for joy. And I've been breaking my heart
since you went away and left me in anger and without one word of good-by."

"My poor darling, it was too cruel," he sighed; "but I found I could not
stand it any more than you, so had to come back to make it up with you.
And I frightened you terribly down there at the door, did I not?"

"O Ned," she murmured, hiding her blushing face on his breast, "how very
good you are to be so loving and kind when you have a right to be angry
and stern with me. You haven't even asked me what I was doing down there
in the night."

"Your note explained that," he said in moved tones, thinking how great
must have been the distress that led to such an act, "and I fear I am as
deserving of reproof as yourself."

"Then you will forgive me?" she asked humbly. "I thought I had a right to
go away, thinking it would make you happier, b