'Arabella  Crofton.'

When  Harry  had  finished  reading  the  letter,  he  returned  it
to  his  wife,  observing, —

'That  is,  as  she  says,  a  faithful  account  of  all  that  ever
occurred  between  us.  You  now  see  why  I  was  unable  to  explain
to  you  the  apparent  mystery.  I  hold  a  promise  to  be  so  sacred
a  tiling,  that  nothing — not  even  the  loss  of  your  affection —
could  induce  me  to  break  one.  And  now,  my  poor  child,  I
hope  you  are  satisfied  that  I  indeed  love  you  with  my  whole
heart,  and  that  the  affection  of  a  thousand  Arabella  Croftons
would  never  compensate  me  for  the  loss  of  one  bright  smile  or
fond  look  from  my  own  darling  wife.'

Alice,  attempted  to  reply,  but  her  heart  was  too  full  for
words  :  bursting  into  a  flood  of  tears  of  mingled  joy  and  contri-
tion, she  flung  her  arms  around  her  husband's  neck,  and  in  that
prolonged  embrace  ended  once  and  for  ever  all  Harry  Cover-
dale's  matrimonial  disputes  and  discomforts.
