CHAPTER XXI.
"And if division come, it soon is past, Too sharp, too strange an agony to last.
And like some river's bright, abundant tide, Which art or accident had forc'd aside, The well-springs of affection gushing o'er, Back to their natural channels flow once more." -- Mrs.Norton.
Left alone, Zoe sat meditating on her mother-in-law's advice.
"Oh," she said to herself, "if I could only know that my husband's love isn't gone forever, I could take comfort in planning to carry it out; but oh, if he hadn't quite left off caring for me, how could he threaten me so, and then go away without making up, without saying good-by, even if he didn't kiss me?
I couldn't have gone away from him so for one day, and he expects to be away for ten.

Ten days! such a long, long while!" and her tears fell like rain.
She wiped them away, after a little, opened her books and tried to study, but she could not fix her mind upon the subject; her thoughts would wander from it to Edward travelling farther and farther from her, and the tears kept dropping on the page.
She gave it up and tried to sew, but could mot see to take her stitches or thread her needle for the blinding tears.
She put on her hat and a veil to hide her tear-stained face and swollen eyes, stole quietly down-stairs and out into the grounds, where she wandered about solitary and sad.
Everywhere she missed Edward; she could think of nothing but him and his displeasure, and her heart was filled with sad forebodings for the future.
Would he ever, ever love and be kind to her again?
After a while she crept back to her apartments, taking care to avoid meeting any one.
But Elsie was there looking for her.

The children's lesson hours were over, they were going for a drive, and hoped Zoe would go along.
"Thank you, mamma, but I do not care to go to-day," Zoe answered in a choking voice, and turned away to hide her tears.
"My dear child, my dear, foolish little girl!" Elsie said, putting her arms around her, "why should you grieve so?
Ned will soon be at home again, if all goes well.

He is not very far away, and if you should be taken ill, or need him very much for any reason, a telegram would bring him to you in a few hours." "But he went away without kissing me good-by; he didn't kiss me last night or this morning." The words were on the tip of Zoe's tongue, but she held them back, and answered only with fresh tears and sobs.
"I'm afraid you are not well, dear," Elsie said.

"What can I do for you ?" "Nothing, thank you, mamma.