d is
almost himself again; Arthur is entirely satisfied that there is no
serious injury,--internal or otherwise; and Miss Deane has already set
out for her home, leaving me to give you her adieus. Now are you not
happy?"

"Indeed, indeed I am!" cried Zoe, dancing about the room in ecstasy, her
eyes shining, and her cheeks flushing with joy.

"May I go to him at once?" she asked, stopping short, with an eager,
questioning look.

"Yes. Art says you may, and Ned is asking for you. How fond he is of
you, Zoe! though, I think, no fonder than you are of him."

"I don't deserve it," responded Zoe, with unwonted humility, answering
the first part of the remark.

"I don't see but you do," said Ella. "Can I help you with your dressing?
I know you are in a hurry to get to him."

"Thank you. I don't think you can, but I'll be done in five minutes."

Edward lay watching for her coming, listening for the sound of her light
footsteps, and, as she opened the door, looked up, and greeted her with
a tenderly affectionate smile.

"O Ned! dear, dear Ned!" she cried, hastening to the bedside; "how like
yourself you look again!"

"And feel, too, love," he said, drawing her down till their lips met in
a long kiss.

Arthur had stepped out on her entrance, and they were quite alone
together.

"God has been very good to us, darling, in sparing us to each other,"
Edward said, in low, moved tones.

"Oh, yes, yes!" she sobbed. "And I didn't deserve it; for I was so cross
to you day before yesterday, when you asked me to go with you: and I'd
been cross for days before that. Can you, will you, forgive me, dear
Ned?"

"I have not been blameless, and we will exchange forgiveness," he said,
drawing her closer, till her head rested against his breast.

"It is so good in you to say that," she sobbed. "Oh, if you had been
killed, as I thought for one minute you were, I could never have had an
hour of peace or comfort in this world! Those unkind words would have
been the last I ever spoke to you; and I should never have been able to
forget them, or the sad look that your face must have worn as you turned
away. I didn't see it, for I had rudely turned my back to you; but I
could imagine it: for I knew you must have been hurt, and grieved too."

"So I was, little wife," he said tenderly, and passing his hand
caressingly over her hair and cheek: "but a few moments' honest
retrospect showed me that I was not blameless, had not been as
forbe