ous tones to
the babies, "Papa is coming, coming soon; dear, dear papa! and mamma and
his darlings will be so glad to see him. Ah, there he is at last!" she
added at length, as a horseman turned in at the great gates and came at
a quick canter up the avenue.

He lifted his hat with a bow and smile to his wife as he drew near; then
alighting at the steps, where a servant took the reins and led the horse
away, he hastily ascended them, and the next moment was seated with a
little one upon each knee.

"Papa's darlings!" he said, caressing them in turn; "papa's dear pets!"

"Tell papa we have been wanting him," said Zoe, standing alongside,
smoothing Edward's hair with softly caressing hand, and smiling down
fondly into the faces of the three; "tell him he stayed so long we did
not know how to wait."

"I must acknowledge I am a trifle late, my dear," Edward said, smiling
up into the pretty, rosy face, "detained by business; but here is my
atonement," handing her a telegram which he took from his pocket.

Zoe read it aloud. It was an invitation to a wedding (whose it did not
say), at Viamede to take place in three weeks from that day.

"Why, who on earth can be going to be married?" she exclaimed in
surprise. "Rosie? Evelyn? Lulu? Every one of them is too young." Then
with a look into Edward's laughing eyes, "Now you needn't laugh, Ned. I
know and acknowledge that Rosie is a little older than I was when we
married, but we would not have made such haste except under those
peculiar circumstances."

"Quite true, my dear," he responded. "But I suppose you will hardly
think it necessary to decline the invitation on that account?"

"Oh, no indeed," was the quick, laughing rejoinder. "I am altogether in
favor of accepting--shall begin my preparations at once. But there's the
breakfast bell."

When they had fairly begun their meal the subject was renewed, Edward
remarking, "My dear, you will want a new dress. If you like we will
drive into the city this morning, make necessary purchases, and at once
set Alma or some other dressmaker at work."

"Oh, thank you, dear Ned," she returned, her eyes shining with pleasure;
"no woman ever had a more generous husband than mine. But there are so
many ways for your money to go, and I have several that would be, with
remodelling and retrimming, tasteful, handsome, and becoming as any new
one."

"But you must have a new one, my love," Edward replied decidedly. "I can
easily afford i