down her face, and plashed upon the small white hands lying clasped in
her lap.

"Dear me!" said Ella, "how fond you are of him!"

"Yes," said Zoe, with a not very successful effort to smile through her
tears: "who wouldn't be, in my place? I owe every thing to Ned, and he
pets and indulges me to the greatest extent. Besides, he is so good,
noble, and true, that any woman might be proud to be his wife."

"Yes: I admit every word of it; but all that doesn't explain your
tears," returned Ella, half sympathizingly, half teasingly. "Now, I
should have supposed that anybody who could boast of such a piece of
perfection for a husband would be very happy."

"But I--we've hardly ever been separated over night," stammered Zoe,
blushing rosy red; "and--and--O Ella! I hadn't a chance to say good-by
to him, and--and you know accidents so often happen"--

She broke down with a burst of tears and sobs that quite dismayed her
cousin.

"Why, Zoe, I'm afraid you cannot be well," she said. "Come, cheer up,
and don't borrow trouble."

"I'm afraid I'm very silly, and have been making you very
uncomfortable," said Zoe, hastily wiping away her tears, "and it's a
great shame; particularly, considering that you have kindly come on
purpose to help me through with a disagreeable task.