I thought you were going into the parlor, and I was about to
ask you to sit with me a little while. I have something to say to you
about Gus. I want you to talk to papa. You know papa will listen to
_you_. Tell him--never mind, dear, to-morrow will do as well--I hope you
will have a pleasant evening.'

'Thank you, dear. Good-by.'

She turned and opened the door.

By a sort of instinctive tenderness not denied to any human creature,
Belle paused and looked back, and, hesitating a moment, returned; going
to where her sister was reclining, she kissed her affectionately,
without speaking one word.

Harriet's eyes suffused; she was quite unused to such a demonstration.

'My darling sister,' she whispered.

Belle was already out of the room. She bounded down the staircase,
passed hastily through the hall, and was soon walking rapidly along the
street.

One hour from that time she was on her way to New Jersey.

A clergyman had been provided in that State to perform the marriage
ceremony.

When the six o'clock New York train for Philadelphia passed through
Newark, it received on board Mr. and Mrs. Filippo Barbone, who were just
starting on their wedding excursion.

It was the commencement of the honeymoon.

* * * * *

No wonder, the next day, that Belle is late. We who are in the secret
will not be astonished; neither does Mrs. Meeker think it at all strange
that Belle should not return in the morning after the excitement of a
grand evening display such as Mrs. Caruthers will be sure to have.

The day wears on. As the dinner hour approaches, Mrs. Meeker decides to
send the carriage for her.

The coachman soon drives up before Mrs. Caruthers's; and the footman,
descending, announces simply that he has called for Miss Belle. The
answer which is brought to him is, that Miss Belle is not in the house.
He returns and reports accordingly.

Although this little incident is very annoying to Mrs. Meeker, still she
has no other idea than that Belle has stopped to make some call or do
some shopping on her way home.

Had she considered a moment, she would have perceived how unreasonable
was such a supposition. But, as Mrs. Meeker could not have the slightest
suspicion of the truth, she was forced to imagine something.

In the midst of her perplexity, Hiram entered. He was so accustomed, and
especially of late, to his daughter's greeting at the door, that he
missed these affectionate toke