ks among the shelves,
it showed itself to Truscott's eyes without a certain ring. Mrs. Jack
does not fancy Carlyle. He is too crabbed by far, she thinks, and she
wonders how and where people get such distorted views of life, but the
captain has been reading him a great deal during the past two months,
and anything that interests him is food for her. Happy she is beyond all
question, happy as woman ever becomes in this world where happiness is
never perfect. If it were, where would be the use of heaven hereafter?
And as she sits here gazing out upon the soft lights and shadows
settling upon the distant hills, her sweet, mobile face is fit subject
for the brush of some inspired painter who seeks a model for an ideal
picture,--"I Ask No More."

It is twilight, too, the hour of all others when the faintest sorrow is
apt to assert itself upon reposeful features,--the hour when it takes a
very happy woman to look happy; yet Grace Truscott's eyes tell of only
one story,--love, peace, tranquillity; and at last the silence is broken
by the remark, which is naturally the result of a woman's undisturbed
contemplation of such a face,--

"I declare, Grace, it is enough to make one want to marry just to look
at you!"

Mrs. Truscott returns to earth with sudden bound, dropping her blissful
day-dream with a merry laugh and a blush that refuses to down at her
bidding. She holds forth her hand appealingly, leaning forward in the
great wicker rocking-chair in which, till now, she has been lazily
inclining.

"How absurd, to be sure! I wish you would seize me and shake me, Marion,
whenever you see me going off into dreamland like that. It is simply
detestable. Yet, I can't help it. Oh!" with sudden impulse, "wait till
you marry some one the least like Jack, and then see for yourself."

"But I never shall marry any one the least like Jack," replies Miss
Sanford. "To begin with, you would not be apt to admit any such man
could exist. Now, don't bristle all over, Grace; you are not in the
least absurd,--to ordinary people that is; you really behave very
creditably for so young a wife, but you are quite warranted in betraying
your admiration to me. I like it. It was simply mean of me to interrupt
your revery as I did, but the exclamation was involuntary. I had been
watching your face for several minutes, and thinking how few, how very
few women are blessed as you are."

Mrs. Truscott's eyes filled with tears, and her hand sought and clas