arded the
pair; she heard Elsie's eager exclamation of joy--her husband's deep
voice--then the two blended in confused and eager conversation. An
absolute spasm of pain contracted the wife's features; her eyes dilated,
and a moan broke from her lips.

"He loves her so! he loves her so! He will believe anything she says,"
muttered Elizabeth in a tone which trembled with passionate emotions.

The sound of her own voice seemed to recall her recollection and the
necessity of concealing these turbulent feelings. With that power of
self-control which she was striving so hard to strengthen, in order to
bear her life with calmness, she forced her features into repose, and
stood quietly waiting for them to come up. There was nothing in her
appearance now to betray agitation; her pallor seemed only the
reflection of her mauve draperies, and her lips forced themselves into a
smile.

"There is Bessie," cried Elsie, coming up the lawn, clinging to her
brother's arm with both hands, and shaking her long curls in the
sunshine, till the sight of her loveliness and grace might have softened
for the time even that heart filled with fear of her sisterly influence,
and jealous of the love which she received with such caressing warmth.

"Oh, Bessie!" she cried, as they reached the steps, "I am so happy! When
I got the news this morning I felt as if I must fly here directly. Oh,
you darling brother, to come back at all; but you deserve to be punished
for staying away so long!"

She raised herself on tip-toe to kiss him anew, allowed her bonnet to
fall off, and her curls to trail in bright confusion over her shoulders;
then she flew towards Elizabeth and showered a greeting of warm kisses
on her face.

"Never mind that dark subject," she whispered; "we'll be happy now in
spite of everything."

Again that singular look passed over Elizabeth Mellen's face; she
listened and endured rather than returned the young girl's caress, but
Mr. Mellen was watching his sister and did not observe it.

"And isn't he brown?" cried Elsie, rushing over to her brother again;
"he looks like an Indian, don't he, Bess? Oh, you bad, bad boy, to stay
so long."

Thus Elsie laughed and talked incessantly, begun a dozen sentences
without finishing one of them, and was so demonstrative in her
expressions of affection to both, so lovely in her youth and brilliant
happiness, that it was no wonder her brother regarded her with that
proud look; it seemed almost i