as she glanced from it to her husband, who
entered the room at that instant; then her eyes fell.

"What is it, love?" he asked, coming quickly toward her.

"Nothing, only--you remember the last time you saw me in this dress? Oh,
Ned, what a fool I was! and how good you were to me!"

He had her in his arms by this time, and she was hiding her blushing
face on his breast. "Never mind, my pet," he said, soothing her with
caresses; "it is a secret between ourselves, and always shall be, unless
you choose to tell it."

"I? No indeed!" she said, drawing a long breath; "I think I should
almost die of mortification if any one else should find it out; but I'm
glad you know it, because if you didn't my conscience wouldn't give me a
bit of peace till I confessed to you."

"Ah! and would that be very difficult?"

"Yes; I don't know how I could ever find courage to make the attempt."

"Are you really so much afraid of me?" he asked, in a slightly aggrieved
tone.

"Yes; for I love you so dearly that your displeasure is perfectly
unendurable," she replied, lifting her head to gaze fondly into his
eyes.

"Ah, is that it, my darling?" he said, in a glow of delight. "I deem
myself a happy man in possessing such a treasure as you and your dear
love. I can hardly reconcile myself to the thought of a separation for
even a few weeks."

"Separation!" she cried, with a start, and in a tone of mingled pain and
incredulity. "What can you mean? But I won't be separated from you; I'm
your wife, and I claim the right to cling to you always, _always_!"

"And I would have you do so, if it could be without a sacrifice of your
comfort and enjoyment, but--"

"Comfort and enjoyment!" she interrupted; "it is here in your arms or by
your side that I find both; nowhere else. But why do you talk so? is
anything wrong?"

"Nothing, except that it seems impossible for me to leave the plantation
for weeks to come, unless I can get a better substitute than I know of
at present."

"Oh, Ned, I am so sorry!" she cried, tears of disappointment springing
to her eyes.

"Don't feel too badly about it, little wife," he said, in a cheery tone;
"it is just possible the right man may turn up before the yacht sails;
and in that case I can go with the rest of you; otherwise I shall hope
to join you before your stay at Nantucket is quite over."

"Not my stay; for I won't go one step of the way without you, unless you
order me!" she added, sportively, and w