“I think we must refuse,” he answered. “You see, Nina and I are scarcely acquainted with each other yet, and we have planned to spend our honey-moon quietly at Selwyn Heights, and make each other’s acquaintance at our leisure. Does not this suit you best, Nina?” “Yes,” she murmured, happily, and to their expressions of regret she added: “Some other time I will go with you with pleasure, but I think,” shily, “I would rather stay at home now with Talbot. We have never been at home much together since we were married, you know.” Seeing how tranquilly happy they were alone, their friends forbore to press the claim for their company. CHAPTER LV. “IT’S WE TWO FOR AYE.” Nina and her husband were right. They were best alone for a time, and in reality they needed no companionship but their own. They were all in all to each other. “It’s we two, it’s we two, it’s we two for aye, All the world and we two, and Heaven be our stay, Like a laverock in the lift, sing, O bonny bride! All the world was Adam once with Eve by his side. “What’s the world, my lass, my love!--What can it do? I am thine, and thou art mine; life is sweet and new. If the world have missed the mark, let it stand by, For we two have gotten leave and once more we’ll try. “Like a laverock in the lift, sing, O bonny bride! It’s we two, it’s we two, happy side by side. Take a kiss from me thy man; now the song begins: All is made afresh for us, and the brave heart wins. “When the darker days come, and no sun will shine, Thou shalt dry my tears, lass, and I’ll dry thine. It’s we two, it’s we two, while the world’s away, Sitting by the golden sheaves on our wedding day.” The beautiful Mrs. Strangemore with her romantic history, carried Baltimore by storm on the night of the Governor’s reception. The best people of the city had been bidden to honor her for whom barely a week ago a scaffold had reared its ghastly front in the face of heaven. All vied with each other to do her honor. It was a perfect ovation. People went wild with enthusiasm over the peerless beauty that had been hidden so long in the gloom of the prison cell. They raved over the gold hair, the dark eyes, the perfect face with its rare red lips and sea-shell coloring. The dress that Talbot had chosen for his darling was perfect in its way. It was creamy satin embroidered in pearls and with flouncings of costly lace. A rope of large moon-white pearls clasped the slender white throat, and the bouquet she carried in her hand was of fragrant pure white flowers. She looked bride-like, queen-like, and even her own husband was amazed at the perfection of her beauty. “Nina, you are as lovely as a queen,” he whispered to her, “I cannot help thinking that my mother was wrong when she bound you to me in your youth and innocence. She should have left you free to choose and be chosen. You are a fitting mate for a king.”