“Yes; I feel much better,” he said.  “And you, love,—­have you been sitting there all this time?”

“Of course I have,” she answered gayly:  “did you think I would break my word, or feel any desire to go away and leave you?”

“I know you to be the most devoted of nurses, when it is I who require your services,” he returned, with a tenderly appreciative smile.  “You are the best of little wives.  But you must be very weary, and I want you now to go and take some exercise in the open air.”

“Is that an order?” she asked playfully.

“Not yet,” he returned, in the same tone; “but, if not obeyed as a request, it may become—­something stronger.”

“Well,” she said laughing, “it won’t hurt me if it does:  you can’t hurt me in that way any more; for do you know, Ned,” and she bent lovingly over him, pressing a kiss upon his forehead, “I have become such a silly thing, that I actually enjoy obeying you,—­when you don’t order me as if you thought I wouldn’t do as you wish, and you meant to force me to it.”

“Forgive me, love, that I have ever done it in that spirit,” he said remorsefully, and coloring deeply.

“Ned, I haven’t any thing to forgive,” she said, with sudden energy and warmth of affection.

“Then you will obey about the air and exercise?” he asked, returning to his playful tone.

“Presently, sir, when I have seen you eat something.  It’s time for that now, according to the doctor’s directions.”

She rang for refreshment, saw him take it, then left him for a short time in the care of old Aunt Phillis, while she donned riding hat and habit, mounted her pony, and flew over several miles of road and back again.

She seemed to bring a breath of fresh air with her when she returned to his side.

“My darling,” he said, smiling up at her, “how the roses glow on your cheeks, and how bright your eyes are!  Give me a kiss, and then sit down close by my side.”

“I obey both orders most willingly,” she said merrily, as she bent down and kissed him on lips and forehead and cheek, then took possession of the chair she had vacated on leaving the room.

“Now, sir, what next?”

“Move your chair round a trifle, so that I can have a better view of your face.”

She smilingly obeyed.  “There! does that satisfy your lordship?”

“Quite.  Now talk to me.”

“About what?”

“Any thing you please:  the principal thing is to hear the music of your voice.”

“Suppose I sing, then.”

“Yes, yes!” eagerly; “that’s just what I should enjoy.  Let it be, ’I love to tell the story.’”

Zoe had a beautiful voice.  Soft and sweet and clear it rose,—­

“’I love to tell the story
  Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and his glory,
  Of Jesus and his love. 
I love to tell the story,
  Because I know it’s true: 
It satisfies my longings
  As nothing else can do.