t."

"When did you leave Calcutta?"

"The latter part of February. I passed the spring months in Paris."

"You did not write," said Gertrude in a faltering voice.

"No, I was expecting to come across by every steamer, and wanted to
surprise you."

Gertrude looked confused, but replied, "I was disappointed about the
letters; but I am very glad to see you again, Willie."

"You can't be so glad as I am," said he, lowering his voice and looking
at her with great tenderness. "You seem more and more like yourself to
me every minute that I see you. I begin to think, however, that I ought
to have written and told you I was coming."

Gertrude smiled. Willie's manner was so unchanged, his words so
affectionate, that it seemed unkind to doubt his friendliness, although
to his undivided love she felt she could have no claim. "No," said she,
"I like surprises. Don't you remember, I always did?"

"Remember? Certainly," replied he; "I have never forgotten anything that
you liked."

Just at this moment Gertrude's birds, whose cage hung in the window at
which Willie sat, commenced a little twittering noise which they always
made just at night. He looked up. "Your birds," said Gertrude; "the
birds you sent me."

"Are they all alive and well?" asked he.

"Yes, all of them."

"You have been a kind mistress to the little things. They are very
tender."

"I am very fond of them."

"You take such care of those you love, dear Gerty, that you are sure to
preserve their lives as long as may be." His tone still more than his
words betrayed the deep meaning with which he spoke. Gertrude was
silent.

"Is Miss Graham well?" asked Willie.

Gertrude related, in reply, that her nerves had been recently much
disturbed by the terrible experiences through which she had passed; and
this led to the subject of the recent disaster, at which Gertrude
forebore to mention her having been herself present. Willie spoke with
feeling of the sad catastrophe, and with severity of the reckless
carelessness which had been the cause of it; and said that he had valued
friends on board the boat, but was unaware that Miss Graham, whom he
loved for Gertrude's sake, was among them.

Conversation between Gertrude and Willie had by this time assumed
something of their former familiarity. He had taken a seat near her on
the sofa, that they might talk unrestrainedly; for although Mr. Graham
might have dropped asleep again, yet it was not easy to forget his