I think Norine felt something of the truth when she put her face confidingly up to his to be kissed. The memory of that confidence and that kiss made Lester Conway stronger forever after. CHAPTER IX. MIXED HAPPINESS. They had gone away, Clinton and Norine, on their simple, inexpensive wedding tour. A very simple little trip of two weeks it was to be, for although Clinton would gladly have extended it in the pride he felt for his girl-wife, and the desire he had to exhibit his happiness, he had been obliged to limit it out of deference to Norine’s wishes. This was the first time that the brother and sister had ever been separated, and Jim found the little cottage amazingly dull without her. Doctor Conway drove over every day, and it was touching to see the affectionate consideration that these two men showed for each other. The object of Conway’s affection had never been mentioned between them, yet Jim fully understood it, and tried in his quiet way to console his friend for his loss; not that the matter was ever spoken of openly between them. Sympathy can be shown without words, and Lester Conway felt it in every hand-clasp and every kindly look his friend gave him. Still, it was a dull, weary life at the farm, lightened somewhat, however, by Norine’s happy letters that Conway brought over almost daily, but rendered gloomy again by the deserted look of the little rooms, and still more to Jim by his dark forebodings of the future. Jim berated himself sadly during this time for what he considered his moral cowardice. Norine had always been his idol; he would gladly have sacrificed his own happiness if he could thereby promote hers. And now that she was away from him, he felt that he had done wrong in consenting to this hasty wedding. True, he had done so only after Norine had protested that it was her one chance for happiness in the future, and he knew that she would have been very unhappy had he withheld his consent. But Jim was too honest to exonerate himself for that reason. He had done something wrong and he knew it, and was very miserable in consequence. And then, Mrs. Higgins, not the most cheerful companion at the best of times, was particularly depressing during Norine’s absence, and made life galling to good-natured Jim. Still, two weeks is not a very long time, and it did pass away, though very slowly; and promptly upon the day set, Norine and her husband returned to the cottage. “Are you glad to see me, Jim?” she cried, between a sob and a laugh, as she threw herself into her brother’s arms. “Very glad, Norry,” he said. “I never passed such a dismal time in all my life.” “Was not Mrs. Higgins good to you, dear?” she laughed, kissing him. “Well, I will make it all up to you. And, Jim, do you know I have made a discovery?” “What is it?” inquired Jim, getting a hand free to offer Clinton. “What is it, dear?”