the particulars of the sad
affair."

Mrs. Sherman wondered at Edward's prolonged silence, as he sat there
utterly unable to say a word. She was beginning to have a vague
conception of the truth, when he turned to her and said in a voice
which the effort to control rendered scarcely audible.

"Mother, I expected to have made Miss De Wolf my wife. I can not talk
about it now."

But Mrs. Sherman led him gently on by means which true mothers know so
well how to use, to unburden his heart, and ere long her sympathy ran
so high as to propose that he should return to Minnesota, and if need
he should return to Minnesota, and if need be spend the winter there.

"If I could take you and Louise with me," said he.

Just then Louise came, in high spirits.

"O mother," said she, "you must hurry and get well in time to attend
Maria Dole's wedding. I met her going to shop. She wants me to be one
of her bridesmaids. Now guess who she is going to marry; but of course
you'd never guess for you are not acquainted with the gentleman; so I
may as well toll you at once; John Hanford, from the wilds of
Minnesota. Maria says she is afraid of being carried off by the bears,
but still too willing to venture a home in the woods for her dear
Johnny's sake. I did not tell her about Dr. DeWolf's daughter, I was
afraid it would stop the wedding, Maria is such a timid creature.
Brother, do tell me about that horrible affair."

"Tell her mother," said Edward and immediately left the room.

While Mrs. Sherman was explaining the matter, Edward was walking up
and down the lawn in front of the house, vainly considering the
probabilities of a favorable termination of his troubles.

"What can we do for poor Edward?" said Louise, after a long silence,
"I think he ought to go back."

"He was saying when you came in if he could only take you and me."

"Well why not?" said Louise eagerly, "I am sure if you keep on getting
well as rapidly as you have for a few days you'll be about the house
in a week."

"When we hear from Dr. Goodrich, my dear, we shall be better able to
decide what is best for us to do."

"Then all we can do is to wait in patience."

Wait they did for over a week before the looked-for intelligence
arrived, and the following is the contents of Dr. Goodrich's letter.

"DEAR SHERMAN. All our efforts have proved unavailing. We
could not find the least clue to aid us in our search. I
am now inclined to think that Miss De