"Every word. I was up; I could not sleep. Does any man sleep the night before he is married? _I_ could not. I lighted a cigar and went out upon the lawn. At the gate I stood, puffing away and looking up in this direction, wondering if my sweet wife that is to be had obeyed my parting injunctions and gone to sleep, when presently a carriage came tearing along, going in the very direction of my own thoughts. A man sat within; I cannot say that I exactly recognized that man in the moonlight, but I saw him move quickly back when he saw me, and that aroused my suspicions. I followed; I could not help following. Something told me my happiness was menaced, my love in danger. I was determined to know the truth, Mell. I listened." "And you do not hate me?" "Hate you, Mell? Dearer to me than ever you are at this moment! I know how you have been tempted; I realize all you have overcome. Never could I doubt such love! Comforted by it, I can bear up even under so heavy a misfortune as the treachery of a friend. But the hour is late; we must not talk longer; you must snatch a little rest. Good-night once more, dear love. To-morrow, Mellville, you will be mine--to-morrow!" "Aye, Rube! To-morrow, yours! Upon every day and every morrow of my life, always yours!" THE END. * * * * * Transcriber's Note: Authors' archaic and variable spelling and hyphenation is mostly preserved. Authors' punctuation styles are preserved. Passages in italics indicated by _underscores_. Passages in bold indicated by =equal signs=. Typographical problems have been changed and are listed below, as are changes made to standardise some hyphenation. Transcriber's Changes: Page 169: Was 'territores' (nullify the results of the war by converting the Southern States into conquered =territories=, in order that party supremacy) Page 169: Was 'acquiesence' (The hint was taken, the contest of 1868 was fought under a seeming =acquiescence= in the views of Stevens and Morton;) Page 194: Was 'imperturable' ("No, indeed! I have pledged my word to _her_ never to touch a drop!" protested Andy, with =imperturbable= good nature.) Page 221: Was 'anymore' ("W.," she said, "you don't know =any more= about it than Horace Greeley did.") Page 225: Was 'contemptously' (Mrs. W. spoke of them =contemptuously= as "nasty black worms.") Page 245: Was 'in' (which is much better, and come to the reader =in the= shape of love-stories, odd adventures,) Page 248: Was 'of' (and if she were in the company =of one= whom she trusted intimately, she would laugh those popular virtues to scorn with her warm,) Page 254: Was 'pleasant, sounding' (Mell's rather strained gayety found an agreeable echo in his =pleasant-sounding= laughter.)