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1886.] 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. ]

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.