ur and a half. I'm
going to lie down;" and she went to her room. When her sister sought
admittance half an hour later the door was locked and all was quiet.
At last, in her impatience, she knocked and cried, "Wake up. They will
be here soon."

"I'm not asleep, and it will not take me long to dress."

"Well, you are the coolest young woman I ever knew," Mrs. Muir called
out, finding that admittance was denied her.

Madge had determined to spend the final hour of her long separation
alone. Her nature had become too deep and strong to seek trivial
diversion from the suspense that weighed upon her spirit. As she
thought of the possibility of failure, and its results, her courage
faltered a little, and a few tears would come. At last, with a glance
heavenward which proved that there was nothing in her heart to keep
her from looking thither for sanction, she left her room, serene and
resolute. She had taken her woman's destiny into her own hand, to mold
it in her own way, but in no arrogant and unbelieving spirit.

Mrs. Muir uttered a disappointed protest. "Oh, Madge, how plainly you
are dressed!"

"I knew you wouldn't like it at first," was the quiet reply. By the
time they had reached the parlor door opposite the office, near which
they proposed to wait for the travellers, now momentarily expected,
Mrs. Muir was compelled to acknowledge the correctness of Madge's
taste. Her costume no more distracted attention from herself than
would the infolding calyx of a rosebud. In its exquisite proportions
her fine figure was outlined by close white drapery, which made her
appear taller than she really was. A single half-open Jacqueminot
rose, like the one she had sent to Graydon at their parting over two
years since, was fastened on her bosom. Her dark eyes burned with a
suppressed excitement. Her complexion, if not so white as that of Miss
Wildmere, was pure, and had a richer hue of health. But she was
pale now. Her red lips half destroyed their exquisite curves in firm
compression. The moment had not quite come for action, when those lips
must be true to herself, true to her purpose, even while they spoke
words which might be misleading to others.

Mrs. Muir, with triumph, saw the glances of strong admiration turned
toward her sister from every side. Madge saw them also, but only to
read in them the verdict she hoped to obtain from the kind blue eyes
for whose coming she waited.

Standing with Mrs. Muir, facing the long ha