f
the skin showed in the candlelight. She wore no rings, except the
slender circlet of gold that had been put on her finger at the altar,
six years ago.

[Sidenote: A Sense of Foreboding]

Conversation at dinner proceeded slowly, but on pleasant lines. Edith
seemed preoccupied, and, at times, Alden relapsed into long silences.
Madame noted that they scarcely spoke to each other, and was vaguely
troubled, for she liked Edith, and wanted Alden to like her too.

After dinner, Edith played cribbage with Madame and Alden read the
paper. When Madame had won three games, in rapid succession, Edith said
good-night. Alden, from the depths of his paper, murmured the
conventional response.

* * * * *

That night he started from his sleep with a sense of foreboding. He sat
up and listened, but there was no sound. Not even the wind moving a
shutter, nor a swaying branch tapping at his window--not a footfall, nor
an echo, nor a breath.

The tall clock on the landing struck four. The silvery strokes died away
into a silence that was positive, rather than negative. The sense of
foreboding still persisted; moreover, he was conscious that someone else
was awake also.

[Sidenote: A Mysterious Perception]

Was it his mother? Was she ill? No--he was sure of that. Was it Edith?
Yes, that was it. She was awake, and had been awake all night. Moreover,
she was crying.

His heart throbbed with tender pity. He yearned to comfort her, to
assure her that whatever was wrong must eventually be made right. Why,
from the crown of her beautiful head to the turned-up toe of her blue
Chinese slipper, Edith had been made for joy--and for love.

Out of the darkness came a sudden mysterious perception. She knew she
had awakened him, and had smiled at the knowledge. A sense of weariness
quickly followed, then a restful silence which carried no thought with
it.

He lay back on his pillow and waited, with his eyes closed, until he
felt that she was asleep. Then he slept also.

X

A Little Brown Mouse

[Sidenote: A Letter for Rosemary]

Rosemary peered into the letter box and saw that _The Household
Guardian_ was there. On one Thursday it had failed to appear and she had
been unable to convince Grandmother of her entire innocence in the
matter. Even on the following day, when she brought it home, in the
original wrapping, she felt herself regarded with secret suspicion. As
it never had failed to come o