t I could almost feel it
burn.

"'Well,' said Bernard, 'what have you to say to this? Aren't you glad
that George is coming?'

"'Glad!' I replied. 'I am more than delighted.'

"Bernard looked as though he did not understand this extraordinary
ecstasy; but as he was used to not understanding me, I do not suppose
he thought it worth while to bother himself about it.

"George was a fine young fellow, and, next to Bernard, I thought he was
the best man in the world. It will be remembered that I had no brother,
and George was always as kind and brotherly as he could be. I was fond
of him even before I was married; in fact, I knew him quite well before
I became acquainted with Bernard; and I was always glad to see him. But
I had never been so delighted to think he was coming as I was then. My
face must have shown this, for Bernard laughingly said:

"'You must be awfully glad to see George.'

"'I am glad,' I answered; and as I spoke I thought that if he knew
everything he would understand why my eyes glistened, as I am sure they
did.

"The reason of my great joy was that a plan had suddenly come into my
mind. George had spoken to me several times about marrying, and he had
told me just what kind of a wife he wanted; and now, as I remembered
what he had said on the subject, it seemed to me he had been describing
Margaret Temple. He wanted a wife who was good-looking but not a belle,
and she must be sensible and practical, a good housekeeper, and a
charming hostess. Besides, she must be intellectual, and fond of books,
and appreciate art, and all that. Moreover, he had said he would like
her to be just about a year older than himself, because he thought that
was a good proportion in a young couple. It was apt to make the man look
up to his wife a little, which might not be the case if he were the
elder. I remembered this, because when he told me I wished very much
that I were a year older than Bernard.

"Now, as I said before, all this seemed as though he had been talking of
Miss Temple; and I, knowing her so well, could see other points than
those he mentioned in which she would suit him as no other woman could.
If George would fall in love with Miss Temple,--and there was no earthly
reason why he should not, for Bernard told me he was going to make him
stay a week,--then everything would be all right; all my anxieties, my
forebodings, and my jealousies would be gone, and I should be as happy
as I was before I met tha