of passengers who alighted from it.

But Edward was not among them, and now it was quite certain that she
could not see him before another day.

Just as she reached that conclusion, a telegram was handed her:--

"Can't be home before to-morrow or next day. Will return as soon as
possible. E. TRAVILLA."

To the girl-wife the message seemed but cold and formal. "So different
from the way he talks to me when he is not vexed or displeased, as he
hardly ever is," she whispered to herself with starting tears during the
solitary drive back to Ion. "I know it's silly--telegrams can't be
loving and kind: it wouldn't do, of course--but I can't help feeling as
if he is angry with me, because there's not a bit of love in what he
says. And, oh, dear! to think he may be away two nights, and I'm longing
so to tell him how sorry I am for being so cross this morning, and
before that, too, and to have him take me in his arms and kiss me, and
say all is right between us, that I don't know how to wait a single
minute!"

She reached home in a sad and tearful mood. Ella, however, proved so
entertaining and mirth-provoking a companion, that the evening passed
quickly, and by no means unpleasantly.

But when the two had retired to their respective apartments, Zoe felt
very lonely, and said to herself that she would rather have Edward
there, even silent and displeased, as he had been for several days past,
than be without him.