"Who is that has been so polite and complimentary to you, Aunt Phillis?"
cried a merry voice in their rear.

Ella was descending the stairway at whose foot they stood, as they
perceived, on turning at the sound of her voice.

"Good-morning, cousin: how bright and well you are looking!" said Zoe.

"Just as I feel. And how are you, Mrs. Travilla? I trust you did not
spend the night in crying over Ned's absence?" was the gay rejoinder.

"No, not nearly all of it," returned Zoe, catching her spirit of fun.

"Mawnin', Miss Ella," said the old nurse, dropping a courtesy. "'Twas
de lady what sprain her foot yisteday I was talkin' bout to Miss Zoe."

"Ah! how is she?"

"I doan' t'ink she gwine die dis day, Miss Ella," laughed the nurse,
"she so pow'ful cross; and dey do say folks is dat way when dey's
gittin' bettah."

"Yes, I have always heard it was a hopeful sign, if not an agreeable
one," Ella remarked, "Was that the breakfast-bell I heard just now?"

"Yes," said Zoe. "I hope you feel ready to do justice to your meal?"

As they seated themselves at the table, Zoe, glancing toward Edward's
vacant chair, remarked, with a sigh, that it seemed very lonely to sit