aken in hers; "then be respectful and obedient to my
father. And to your mamma--my dear daughter. Nothing else could give me so
much pleasure."

"I love Mamma Vi!" exclaimed Max. 'I'm sure there couldn't be a sweeter
lady. And I like Grandpa Dinsmore, too, but--don't you think now he's very
strict and ready to punish a fellow for a mere trifle, Grandma Elsie?"

"I dare say it seems but a trifle to you for a boy of your age to go into
town and do an errand for himself without asking leave," she replied, "but
that might lead to much worse things; the boy might take to loitering
about the town and fall into bad company and so be led into I know not
what wickedness. For that reason parents and guardians should know all
about a boy's comings and goings."

"That's so, Grandma Elsie," Max said reflectively. "I don't mean to get
into bad company ever, but papa says I'm a heedless fellow, so perhaps I
might do it before I thought. I'll try to keep to rules after this."

"I hope so, for both your own sake and ours," she said; then with a
motherly kiss bade him good-night.

CHAPTER XVI.

"O jealousy! thou merciless destroyer,
More cruel than the grave! what ravages
Does thy wild war make in the noblest bosoms!"
--Mullet.

Edward stretched himself beside Zoe, but not to sleep for hours, for ever
and anon she drew a sobbing breath that went to his very heart.

"Poor little thing!" he sighed, "I must have acted like a brute to grieve
her so deeply, I should not have undertaken the care of a child who I knew
had been spoiled by unlimited petting and indulgence, if I could not be
more forbearing and tender with her. If, instead of a show of authority, I
had tried reasoning and coaxing, doubtless the result would have been very
different, and she would have been saved all this. I am ashamed of myself!
Grandpa might possibly have acted so toward a wife, but my father never, I
am sure."

He was really very fond of his little wife, loving her with a protecting
love as something peculiarly his own, to be guided and moulded to suit his
ideas and wishes, so that she might eventually become the perfectly
congenial companion, capable of understanding and sympathizing in all his
views and feelings, which he desired, but found that she was not yet.

He began to fear she might never attain to that; that perhaps his sudden
marriage was a mistake that would ruin the happiness of both