“She is not a real lady,” said Zoe, “or she never would have done a thing like that.”

“I agree with you, love,” he said; “but I was sorry your reception of her was so extremely ungracious and cold.”

“Would you have had me play the hypocrite, Ned?” she asked indignantly.

“No, Zoe, I should be very far from approving of that,” he answered gravely:  “but while it was right and truthful not to express pleasure which you did not feel, at her coming, you might, on the other hand, have avoided absolute rudeness; you might have shaken hands with her, and asked after her health and that of her father’s family.”

“I treated her as well as she deserved; and it does not make her any the more welcome to me, that she has already been the means of drawing down upon me a reproof from my husband’s lips,” Zoe said in tremulous tones, and turning away from him with her eyes full of tears.

“My words were hardly intended as that, little wife,” Edward responded in a kindly tone, following her into the hall, catching her in his arms, and imprinting a kiss on her ruby lips.

“And I wanted my drive with you so badly,” she murmured, half hiding her face on his breast; “but she has robbed us of that, and—­O Ned! is she to come between us again, and make us quarrel, and be so dreadfully unhappy?” Her voice was full of tears and sobs before she had ended.

“No, no; I could not endure that any more than you,” he said with emotion, and clasping her very close:  “and it is only for to-night you will have to bear the annoyance of her presence; she is to leave in the morning.”

“Is she? that is some comfort.  I hope somebody will come in for the evening, and share with us the infliction of her society,” Zoe said, concluding with a forlorn attempt at a laugh.

“Won’t you take off that very becoming hat and cloak, Mrs. Travilla, and spend the evening?” asked Edward playfully.

“Thank you.  I believe I will, if you will accompany me to the dressing-room,” she returned, with a smiling look up into his face.

“That I will with pleasure,” he said, “provided you will reward me with some assistance with my toilet.”

“Such as brushing your hair, and tying your cravat?  Yes, sir, I will:  it’s a bargain.”

And so, laughing and chatting, they went up to their own private apartments.

Halt an hour later they came down again together, to find Miss Deane in the parlor, seated by a window overlooking the avenue.

“There’s a carriage just drawing up before your front entrance,” she remarked:  “the Roselands family carriage, I think it is.”

Zoe gave her husband a bright, pleased look.  It seemed her wish for an addition to their party for the evening had been granted.

The next moment the room-door was thrown, open, and Dr. Conly and Miss Ella were announced.

They were cordially welcomed, asked to tea, and staid the evening, greatly relieving Zoe in the matter of entertaining her unwelcome guest, who devoted herself to the doctor, and left Edward to his wife and cousin, a condition of things decidedly agreeable to Zoe.