I haven't told her about
that robbery yet! I don't want to tell her no bad news the first day as
she gets home," ruminated Miss Tabby, as she sat over the fire with
little Cromartie in her arms.

Of course Miss Winterose could not guess that Sybil had heard of the
raid upon her cellars.

Sybil ran down stairs, at the foot of which she found Mr. Berners and
Raphael waiting for her.

"I have been taking a nap on the parlor sofa, and my young friend here
has been mousing among the books in the library," said Lyon Berners, as
he met his wife.

"I hope you feel refreshed," said Sybil.

"Very much," answered Lyon. "Raphael, my boy, give Mrs. Berners your arm
in to the dinner-table."

The lad blushingly obeyed, and they went in to dinner.

There was one little affectionate mischievous thought darted through Mr.
Berners' brain; "I will show my wife that I can trust her with this
pretty page who is in love with her, better than she could trust me with
the beautiful widow who was not in love with me," he said smilingly to
himself, as he followed them in to the dining-room.

This may be said to be the re-commencement of Sybil Berners' happy
home-life. Of the awful cloud that overhung her fate, she scarcely
thought at all this evening. When dinner was over she led the way into
her own bright drawing-room, which had been that day "swept and
garnished" for her reception. Fresh snow-white lace curtains were at the
windows, contrasting finely with the warm, bright hues of the crimson
satin hangings, the crimson velvet parlor set, and the crimson Brussels
carpet. A brilliant sea-coal fire was glowing in the grate, and vases
filled with fragrant hot-house plants stood on every white marble-top
table and stand.

Like a child home for the holidays, Sybil roamed about in delight from
object to object, and fondly opened her disused piano, to try if it
was still in tune. She was surprised and pleased to find that its tone
was perfect. She had been absent but two months or less, and she knew
it, yet she felt as if two years must have elapsed since she had touched
her piano. She sat down and played some of her favorite airs, and sang
some of her favorite songs, to the great entertainment of Mr. Berners
and Raphael.

But this evening she was too happy and too restless to keep to any one
thing. So she soon left the piano, and called Raphael to follow her to a
book-stand in the corner, where she showed him some fine engravings from
t