The sun was rising, and his first rays struck into the room, as she came back, and put her lips to his. “I bless the day!” said Eugene. “I bless the day!” said Lizzie.

“You have made a poor marriage of it, my sweet wife,” said Eugene. “A shattered graceless fellow, stretched at his length here, and next to nothing for you when you are a young widow.”

“I have made the marriage that I would have given all the world to dare to hope for,” she replied.

“You have thrown yourself away,” said Eugene, shaking his head. “But you have followed the treasure of your heart. My justification is, that you had thrown that away first, dear girl!”

“No. I had given it to you.”

“The same thing, my poor Lizzie!”

“Hush! hush! A very different thing.”