"No, dearest, I am not disposed to find fault with you," he said, softly
caressing her hair and cheek with his disengaged hand; "though I should
be glad if you could be a trifle more cordial to our uninvited guest."

"It's my nature to act just as I feel; and, if there's a creature on
earth I thoroughly detest, it is she!" returned the child-wife with
almost passionate vehemence. "I know she hates me,--for all her purring
manner and sweet tones and words,--and that she likes nothing better
than to make trouble between my husband and me."

"My dear child, you really must try not to be so uncharitable and
suspicious," Edward said in a slightly reproving tone. "I do not
perceive any such designs or any hypocrisy in her conduct toward you."

"No: men are as blind as a bat in their intercourse with such women;
never can see through their designs; always take them to be as sweet and
amiable as they pretend to be. It takes a woman to understand her own
sex."

"Maybe so," he said soothingly; "but we will leave the disagreeable
subject for to-night at least, shall we not?"

"Yes; and, oh, I do hope the weather to-morrow will not be such as to
afford her an excuse for prolonging her stay!"

"I hope not, indeed, love," he responded; "but let us resolve, that, if
it does, we will try to bear the infliction patiently, and give our
self-invited guest no right to accuse us of a lack of hospitality toward
her. Let us not forget or disobey the Bible injunction, to 'use