a and the others," she added, as she gained his
side, and looking up brightly into his face as she spoke.

"Ah," he said, bending down to kiss the ruby lips. "I thought you were to
be my pupil."

"Oh, so I am! except in purely feminine accomplishments. See!" holding up
her work. "I've been busy with this. It was the sewing hour, and sister
Elsie read aloud to us while we worked."

"Ah, yes! I have been reader many a time while mamma and sisters plied the
needle."

"How nice! you are such a beautiful reader! But she is almost as good."

"Not only almost, but altogether," he returned gayly as he held open the
door of her boudoir for her to enter, then followed her in. "I've come now
to hear your recitations. I suppose you are quite prepared," he added,
drawing up a chair for her, and glancing at a pile of books lying on the
table.

"No," she said, coloring and dropping her eyes with a slightly mortified
air. "I meant to be, but so many things happened to interfere. I had a
letter to write, then some ladies called, and then----"

"Well?" he said interrogatively, as she paused, coloring still more
deeply.

"I wanted to finish the book I was reading last night. I really couldn't
fix my thoughts on stupid lessons until I knew what became of the
heroine."

Edward, standing by her side and looking down at her, shook his head
gravely. "Duties should be attended to first, Zoe, pleasures indulged in
afterward."

"You are talking to me as if I were nothing but a child!" she cried
indignantly, her cheeks growing hot.

"The dearest, most lovable child in the world," he said, bending down to
stroke her hair and look into her face with laughing eyes.

"No, sir, I'm your wife. What did you marry me for if you considered me
such a child?" she cried with a half pout on her lip, but love-light in
the eyes lifted to his.

"Because I loved you and wanted the right to take care of you, my bonny
belle," he said, repeating his caress.

"And you do, the best care in the world, you dear boy!" she exclaimed
impulsively, throwing her arms about his neck. "And if it will please you,
I'll set to work at the lessons now."

"Then do, love; I have letters to write, and we will sit here and work
side by side."

Both worked diligently for an hour or more; they had a merry time over the
recitations, then drove together to the nearest village to post Edward's
letters and get the afternoon mail for Ion.

Violet was made happy by a long