Her husband assisted her to alight, led her up the steps to the entrance, and rang the bell. The door was almost immediately opened by a servant, who appeared greatly pleased at the return of the master of the house. Dr. Winthrop conducted Salome through the wide and lofty hall to the elegant drawing-room on the right, where he seated her in a luxurious chair and murmured in her ear. “Welcome home, my Salome.” “What an exquisite room!” she thought, as her eyes roved appreciatively about the apartment, noting the soft-hued carpet and beautiful draperies, the furniture of carved ebony, the rare pictures, choice statuary, and bric-a-brac of every description. Dr. Winthrop rang another bell and gave orders for dinner, telling the maid, when she had notified the cook, to come upstairs to the south suite to attend Mrs. Winthrop. Then he gave his arm again to Salome, and led her up the grand stairway to a suite of rooms directly over the drawing-room. These were furnished in pale pink and white. The boudoir was fitted up with every convenience and elegance. The furniture was most luxurious; there were costly pictures upon the walls and beautiful vases and ornaments in profusion upon the tables and mantel. Opening from this charming room was the bed-room, where the low French bedstead was richly draped with antique lace over pale pink silk and a coverlet to match. Hangings of the same hue and material shaded the windows, and every appointment of the chamber betrayed exquisite taste. Beyond, there was a bath and dressing-room which contained every luxury any one could desire, from the porcelain bath down to the simplest toilet appendage. “These rooms,” said Dr. Winthrop, as he led Salome through them, “are for your own private use, dear, and while, as mistress here, you are of course to have the freedom of the whole house, yet you can flee here and shut yourself away whenever you are inclined, and no one shall intrude upon you. Remember, Salome, we are going to make it our first and chief business to get you well and strong, and until that end is attained you are to be perfectly free from care of every kind. I have a competent housekeeper,” he continued, “who will look after the household, subject, of course, to your orders and wishes, without vexing you with any of the details. Now, dear,” looking at his watch, “I want you to rest until dinner time, which is seven o’clock; then if you feel able to come down to dine with me it will give me pleasure; if you do not you must feel free to stay quietly here; you have had a long journey, and must be very weary,” he concluded, regarding her with some anxiety, as he stooped to touch her forehead with his lips. Tears sprang to the young wife’s eyes. “How good you are to me! how thoughtful!” she said, reaching up her white hand, and laying it against his cheek. “Oh, I hope I shall get well and strong soon. I hope I can make you happy.”