“I sincerely hope you are not to be visited with so severe a punishment as that,” his mother said.  “But come, let us go to her at once.”

They found her still sleeping, but not profoundly; her face was unnaturally flushed, and wore a troubled expression, while her breathing seemed labored.

As they stood anxiously regarding her, she woke with a sharp cry of distress and anguish, then catching sight of her husband bending over her, her face grew radiant, and throwing her arms about his neck, “O Ned, dear Ned!” she cried, “are you here? and do you love me yet?”

“Dearly, dearly, my darling,” he said, holding her close.  “What has troubled you?”

“Oh, such a dreadful dream!  I thought I was all alone in a desert and couldn’t find you anywhere.”

“But ‘drames always go by conthraries, my dear,’” he quoted sportively.  Then more seriously, “Are you quite well, love?” he asked.

“A little dull and a trifle headachy,” she answered, smiling up at him, “but I think a cup of coffee and a drive with my husband in the sweet morning air will cure me.”

“You shall have both with the least possible delay.”

“What time is it?  Have you been to breakfast?”

“It’s about nine, and I have taken breakfast.  I think you must have some before exerting yourself to dress.”

“Just as you say; it’s nice to have you tell me what to do,” she said, nestling closer in his arms.  “I can’t think why I should ever have disliked it.”

“I presume it was all the fault of my tone and manner, sometimes of my words, too,” he said, passing his hand caressingly over her hair and cheek.  “I’m afraid I’ve been decidedly bearish on several occasions; but I trust I shall have the grace to treat my wife with politeness and consideration after this.”

Elsie, who had left the room on Zoe’s awaking, now came in and bidding her an affectionate good-morning, said she had ordered her breakfast to be brought up at once, adding, “I hope you will do it justice, my dear.”

“I’ll see that she does, mamma,” Edward answered for her, in sportive tone; “she has made such fair promises of submission, obedience, and all that, that she’ll hardly dare refuse to do anything I bid her.”

“I haven’t been very good about it lately, mamma,” Zoe said, looking half tearfully, half smilingly from one to the other, “but Ned’s forgiven me, and now I feel as you say you did—­that it’s a real pleasure to give up my wishes to one I love so very dearly, and who is, I know, very much wiser than I.”

“That is right, dear,” Elsie said tenderly, “and I trust he will show himself worthy of all your love and confidence.”

The two now comported themselves like a pair of lovers, as indeed they had done through all their brief married life, except the last few days.

Edward exerted himself for the entertainment of his little wife during their drive, and was very tender and careful of her.