ought out the board, and placed the
men.

He was fond of the game; but Zoe had never fancied it, and he had played
but seldom since their marriage.

Miss Deane was a more than ordinarily skilful player, and so was he;
indeed, so well matched were they, that neither found it an easy matter
to checkmate the other: and that first game proved a long one,--so long
that Zoe, who had watched its progress with some interest in the
beginning, eager to see Edward win, at length grew so weary as to find
it difficult to keep her eyes open, or refrain from yawning.

But Edward, usually so tenderly careful of her, took no notice,--indeed,
as she said bitterly to herself, seemed to have forgotten her existence.

Still, it was with a thrill of delight that she at length perceived that
he had come off victorious.

Miss Deane took her defeat with very good grace, and smilingly
challenged him to another contest.

"Rather late, isn't it?" he said with a glance at the clock, whose hands
pointed to half-past eleven. "Suppose we sign a truce until to-morrow?"

"Certainly: that will be decidedly best," she promptly replied,
following the direction of his glance. "I feel so fresh, and have
enjoyed myself so much, that I had no idea of the hour, and am quite
ashamed of having kept my youthful hostess up so late," she added,
looking sweetly at Zoe. "Very young people need a large amount of sleep,
and can't keep up health and strength without it."

"You are most kind," said Zoe, a touch of sarcasm in her tones: "it must
be a very sympathetic nature that has enabled you to remember so long
how young people feel."

A twinkle of fun shone in Edward's eyes at that.

Miss Deane colored furiously, bade a hasty good-night, and departed to
her own room.

"That was a rather hard thrust, my dear," remarked Edward, laughing, as
he led the way into their dressing-room; "not quite polite, I'm afraid."

"I don't care if it wasn't!" said Zoe. "She is always twitting me on my
extreme youth."

"Sour grapes," he said lightly: "she will never see twenty-five again,
and would give a great deal for your youth. And since you are exactly
the age to suit me, why should you care a fig for her sneers?"

"I don't, when I seem to suit you in all respects," returned Zoe with
tears in her voice.

Her back was toward him; but he caught sight of her face in a mirror,
and saw that tears were also glistening in her eyes.

Putting his arm round her waist, and dr