t up a pleasant home for the childish wife who was
drifting away from him. He had missed her so much at first, even while
he felt it a relief to have her gone just when his business matters
needed all his time and thought.

It was some comfort, too, to write to her, but not much to receive her
letters, for Daisy did not excel in epistolary composition, and after a
few weeks her letters were short and far apart, and, as Guy thought,
constrained and studied in their tone, and when, after she had been
absent from him for three months or more his longing to see her was so
great that he decided upon a visit of a few days to the West, and
apprised her of his intention, asking if she would be glad to see him.
He received in reply a telegram from Mr. McDonald telling him to defer
his journey, as Daisy was visiting some friends and would be absent for
an indefinite length of time. There was but one more letter from her and
that was dated at Vincennes, and merely said that she was well, and Guy
must not feel anxious about her or take the trouble to come to see her,
as she knew how valuable his time must be and would far rather he should
devote himself to his business than bother about her. The letter was
signed, "Hastily, Daisy," and Guy read it over many times with a pang in
his heart he could not define.

But he had no suspicion of the terrible blow in store for him, and went
on planning for her comfort just the same; and when at last Elmwood was
sold and he could no longer stay there, he hired a more expensive house
than he could afford, because he thought Daisy would like it better, and
then, with his sister Fan, set himself to the pleasant task of fitting
it up for Daisy. There was a blue room with a bay window just as there
had been in Elmwood, only it was not so pretentious and large. But it
was very pleasant and had a door opening out upon what Guy meant should
be a flower garden in the summer, and though he missed his little wife
sadly and longed so much at times for a sight of her beautiful face and
the sound of her sweet voice, he put all thought of himself aside and
said he would not bring her back until the May flowers were in blossom
and the young grass bright and green by the blue room door.

"She will have a better impression of her new home then," he said to
Fan; "and I want her to be happy here and not feel the change too
keenly."

Julia Hamilton chanced those days to be in town, and as she was very
intimate