A twinkle of fun shone in Edward’s eyes at that.

Miss Deane colored furiously, bade a hasty good-night, and departed to her own room.

“That was a rather hard thrust, my dear,” remarked Edward, laughing, as he led the way into their dressing-room; “not quite polite, I’m afraid.”

“I don’t care if it wasn’t!” said Zoe.  “She is always twitting me on my extreme youth.”

“Sour grapes,” he said lightly:  “she will never see twenty-five again, and would give a great deal for your youth.  And since you are exactly the age to suit me, why should you care a fig for her sneers?”

“I don’t, when I seem to suit you in all respects,” returned Zoe with tears in her voice.

Her back was toward him; but he caught sight of her face in a mirror, and saw that tears were also glistening in her eyes.

Putting his arm round her waist, and drawing her to him, “I don’t want a piece of perfection for my wife,” he said; “she would be decidedly too great a contrast to her husband:  and I have never yet seen the woman or girl I should be willing to take in exchange for the one belonging to me.  And I’m very sure such a one doesn’t exist.”

“How good in you to say it!” she said, clinging about his neck, and lifting to his, eyes shining with joy and love.  “O Ned! we were so happy by ourselves!”

“So we were,” he assented, “and so we may hope to be again very soon.”

“Not so very, I’m afraid,” she answered with a rueful shake of the head; “for just hark how it is storming still!”

“Yes; but it may be all over by morning.  How weary you look, love!  Get to bed as fast as you can.  You should not have waited for the conclusion of that long game, that, I know, did not interest you.”

“I was interested for your sake,” she said, “and so glad to see you win.”

“Wife-like,” he returned with a smile, adding, “It was a very close game, and you needn’t be surprised to see me beaten in the next battle.”

“I’m afraid she will stay for that, even if the storm is over,” sighed Zoe.  “Dear me!  I don’t see how anybody can have the face to stay where she is self-invited, and must know she isn’t a welcome guest to the lady of the house.  I’d go through any storm rather than prolong a visit under such circumstances.”

“You would never have put yourself in such a position,” Edward said.  “But I wish you could manage to treat her with a little more cordiality.  I should feel more comfortable.  I could not avoid bringing her here, as you know; nor can I send her away in such inclement weather, or, indeed, at all, till she offers to go; and your want of courtesy toward her—­to put it mildly—­is a constant mortification to me.”

“Why don’t you say at once that you are ashamed of me?” she exclaimed, tears starting to her eyes again, as with a determined effort she freed herself from his grasp, and moved away to the farther side of the room.