Throughout the sleep of exhaustion which followed, she sat watching him.  The company in the next room were quietly making merry “over Dick’s triumph,” but Katherine shook her head at all proposals to join them.  The band of gold around her finger fascinated her.  She was now really Richard’s wife; and the first sensation of such a mighty change was, in her pure soul, one of infinite and reverent love.  When Richard awoke, he was refreshed and supremely happy.  Then Katherine brought him food and wine, and ate her own morsel beside him.  “Our first meal we must take together,” she said; and Hyde was already sensible of some exquisite change, some new and rarer tenderness and solicitude in all her ways toward him.

The noon hour was long past, but she made no mention of it.  The wedding guests also lingered, talking and laughing softly, and occasionally visiting the happy bride and bridegroom in their blissful companionship.  In those few hours Richard made sure his dominion over his wife’s heart; and he had so much to tell her, and so many directions to give her, that, ere they were aware, the afternoon was well spent.  The clergyman and the soldiers departed, Mrs. Gordon was a little weary, and Hyde was fevered with the very excess of his joy.  The moment for parting had come; and, when it has, wise are those who delay it not.  Hyde fixed his eyes upon his wife until Mrs. Gordon had arranged again her bonnet and manteau; then, with a smile, he shut in their white portals the exquisite picture.  He could let her go with a smile now, for he knew that Katherine’s absence was but a parted presence; knew that her better part remained with him, that

“Her heart was never away,
But ever with his forever.”

The coach was waiting; and, without delay, Katharine returned with Mrs. Gordon to her lodgings.  Both were silent on the journey.  When a great event has taken place, only the shallow and unfeeling chatter about it.  Katherine’s heart was full, even to solemnity; and Mrs. Gordon, whose affectation of fashionable levity was in a large measure pretence, had a kind and sensible nature, and she watched the quiet girl by her side with decided approval.  “She may not be in the mode, but she is neither silly nor heartless,” she decided; “and as for loving foolishly my poor, delightful Dick, why, any girl may be excused the folly.”

Upon leaving the coach at Mrs. Gordon’s, Katherine went to an inner room to resume her own dress.  The India silk lay across a chair; and she took off, and folded with her accustomed neatness, the elegant suit she had worn.  As she did so, she became sensible of a singular liking for it; and, when Mrs. Gordon entered the room, she said to her, “Madam, very much I desire this suit:  it is my wedding-gown.  Will you save it for me?  Some day I may wear it again, when Richard is well.”

“Indeed, Katherine, that is a womanly thought; it does you a vast deal of credit; and, upon my word, you shall have the gown.  I shall be put to straits without it, to out-dress Miss Betty Lawson; but never mind, I have a few decent gowns beside it.”