years or so, yet," he remarked, with a trace of his old joviality. "And so you're glad to have me back again? "
With a sudden, impulsive movement, Louise sprang to her feet, and throwing her arms passionately round his neck, she laid her head against his breast and whispered: "Only love me a little again, Marion. Only think of me as you did at first, and "
" Why, Louise! "was all her husband could say, as he lifted her tear-flushed face. " I have never loved you less, my child; how could I?"
" Ah, but you ought to know," said Louise, rapidly. "I want you to know, because I want to tell you how utterly it is all past and gone. After we were married, there came to be some one else, I imagined, and I made you and myself very unhappy over it by my unkind ways. I thought I could not bear it all, life seemed so long and cruel to me, and I was false to you in my thoughts every hour. But he wasn't worthy to be mentioned in the same day with you, Marion; I found that out before Frances died."
Mr. Waring sat quiet, making no move to interrupt her nor answer her when she paused a moment.
"And now," she went on, "can you forgive me and take me back again, because I have found out how wicked, and vain, and selfish I have been, and "her voice sank to its lowest whisper, "because I love you, Marion."
" Dear child," he said, with his arm around her, "I knew I could trust to your honor and your pure heart, but for a long time past I have not hoped to win what you have given me today. And Louise, as you have been so frank, I'm going to be frank, too, and tell you that I suspected something of this, and I took the man out of your way. I knew the infatuation wouldn't last long, but I thought it might be as well to cut it short."
" What did you do? "she asked, tremulously.
" I made Birnie send him to the Sandwich Islands to take charge of a sugar plantation of his there. He's incompetent enough, but he can't do very much harm, because he has to work under orders. He left the day that"
" Marion, I never shall forgive myself. How can you be so generous? "cried Louise. " Oh, if Frances were only here! She saw your value from the first; she and my father kept me in the right path. Help me to make it up to you, that I ever came near slipping out of it."
"Today is worth it all, my dear. Let us put all the past behind us. The doctor tells me I must leave here as soon as I am strong enough to travel, and we shall have our Eastern trip, after all."
" And, Marion," added Louise, as she lay on his breast, "that will be our real wedding tour."
Helen Lake.
[THE END. ]
THE FIRST STEAMBOAT ON THE UPPER COLUMBIA.
Previous to 1859 the Columbia River from the Dalles upwards had been navigated only by the Indian canoes, the Hudson Bay Company's batteaux, and for a short time immediately before, by a few flat bottomed sailing craft, freighting to Wallula. This is a point on the river twelve miles below the junction of Snake River, and is the embarcadero for Walla Walla. In 1859, a stern-wheel steamboat, the "Colonel Wright, "was built, and as she was successful, navigation was established permanently. The route was from Des Chutes to Wallula a distance of fifteen miles and the business, while limited in amount, was rendered exceedingly profitable by enormously high prices for transportation.
