“But--but, Harry--think well, dear, dear Harry, please--didn’t you receive anything else from me?” “Anything else? No, I think not; I am sure not, for I should never forget anything you had sent me, Annie.” “You never received, for instance----” “Well, what? What is the matter, Annie? What did you think I received?” “You never had--money or--jewelry?” “From you, Annie? No, certainly not!” She sunk at his feet and put her head on his knees in a passion of tears. “Thank Heaven! Oh, Harry, I am so happy! And yet something frightens me,” she sobbed; while he looked down at her, utterly puzzled and astonished. “What do you mean, Annie? What money--what jewelry?” “Nothing--nothing! I--I don’t know what I am talking about.” “But I must know. Now, darling, tell me.” “Will you listen quietly, then, and not be angry with me--or with any one?” “I will promise to listen quietly, and not to be angry with you. That is all.” Annie hesitated. She could not but know now on whom the blame of this miserable misunderstanding between herself and her husband lay. No explanation of Stephen’s infamous conduct to both of them occurred to her yet; but, even in the midst of her indignation against him, the pity she felt for the forlorn, weakly cripple urged her to shield him from the consequences of the terrible anger she already saw gathering in Harry’s blue eyes. “I don’t think I ought to tell you anything,” she said, gently, “until I have found out whether there is not some explanation to be given of the matter. You are looking angry already. Don’t let us spoil this beautiful, happy evening by unkind and harsh thoughts about anybody, Harry. Won’t you wait----” “No, I won’t wait!” interrupted he, very sternly. “Don’t shrink away, Annie; I love you for your sweet forgiveness; it is right for a woman to be ready to forgive. But there is something else for me to do. Now tell me all about it.” “Not while you are in this mood, Harry. I will tell you when you have promised to let it pass without a word of reproach, except just what you may say to me.” “You will tell me now, and without my making any promise, my darling,” said he very softly, drawing her up from her knees to a seat by his side. Annie had never before felt her will unable to carry out her purposes. She struggled with herself now as she sat in the firm but gentle clasp of her husband’s arm, and saw his head bent in a listening attitude toward hers. Then, feeling at last the irresistible force of a resolution stronger than her own, she submitted--submitted in the most winning way in the world, placing her little hands on either side of his neck, and looking up at him with her sweetest, softest expression of face to coax away his anger. “Then I must trust to your generosity, Harry. And, if you don’t behave generously and forgivingly about it, I shall think you are not glad to have me again, for happiness ought always to make people’s hearts softer.”