; then turning toward Elsie, she added timidly, "and this
sweet mother."

"That is right, dear child," Elsie said, bending down to kiss her again,
"call me mother or mamma, as Edward does, and never doubt your welcome to
my heart and home. Now I shall leave you to rest, and Edward must see that
all your wants are supplied."

"O Edward, how sweet, how dear, and how beautiful she is!" cried Zoe, as
the door closed on her mother-in-law.

"Just as I told you, love," he said, caressing her. "She takes you to her
heart and home without even waiting to inquire how I came to marry in
haste without her knowledge or approval."

"Or asking who I am or where I came from. But you will tell her everything
as soon as you can?"

"Yes; I shall wait only long enough to see you eat something and lying
down for a nap, so that you will not miss me while I have my talk with
her."

Zoe, in this her first appearance among them, had produced a favorable
impression upon all her new relatives; but the uppermost feeling with
each, from the grandfather down, was one of profound astonishment that
Edward had taken so serious a step without consulting those to whom he had
hitherto yielded a respectful and loving obedience.

Elsie could not fail to be pained to find her dearly loved father and
herself so treated by one of her cherished darlings, yet tried to put the
feeling aside and suspend her judgment until Edward had been given an
opportunity to explain.

The younger children gathered about her, with eager questioning as she
rejoined them in the veranda.

"I can tell you nothing yet, dears," she answered in her accustomed sweet
and gentle tones, "but no doubt we shall know all about it soon. I think
she is a dear little girl whom we shall all find it easy to love. We will
do all we can to make her happy and at home among us, shall we not?"

"Yes, mamma, yes indeed!" they all said.

Mr. Dinsmore rose, and motioning to his wife and daughter to follow him
went to the library.

Elsie read grave displeasure in his countenance before he opened his lips.

"Dear papa, do not be angry with my boy," she said pleadingly, going to
him where he stood, and putting her arms about his neck. "Shall we not
wait until we have heard his story?"

"I shall try to suspend my judgment for your sake, daughter," Mr. Dinsmore
answered, stroking her hair caressingly, "but I cannot help feeling that
Edward seems to have strangely failed in the loving respect a