So Mrs. Miller returned to the parlor, and said f.a.n.n.y was not feeling very well and wished to be excused.

Stanton and Raymond pa.s.sed a very pleasant evening, and ere its close they had arranged with Mrs. Crane for rooms and board. On their way to the hotel, Raymond suddenly exclaimed, "I say, Bob, I'm head over heels in love!"

"In love with whom?" was Stanton's quiet reply.

"In love with whom?" repeated Raymond. "Why, Bob, is it possible your head is so full of Nellie Ashton that you do not know that we have been in company this evening with a perfect Hebe, an angel, a divine creature?"

"Please stop," said Stanton, "and not deal in so many superlatives. Which of the fair ladies made such havoc with your heart? Was it Mrs. Crane?"

"Mrs. Crane! Witch of Endor just as soon," answered Raymond. "Why, man alive, 'twas the beautiful Mrs. Carrington. I tell you what, Bob, my destiny is upon me and she is its star. I see in her my future wife."

"Why, Fred," said Mr. Stanton, "are you crazy? Mrs. Carrington is at least nearly thirty-five, and you are not yet twenty-five."

"I don't care for that," replied Raymond. "She may be thirty, and she may be a hundred, but she looks sixteen. Such glorious eyes I never saw. And she almost annihilated me with one of her captivating smiles. Her name, too, is my favorite."

"Her name? Pray, how did you learn her name?" asked Stanton.

"Why," answered Raymond, "you know we were talking together a part of the evening. Our conversation turned upon names, and I remarked that Ida was my favorite. Bob, you ought to have seen her smile as she told me Ida was her own name. Perhaps I said something foolish, for I replied that Ida was a beautiful name and only fitted for such as she; but she smiled still more sweetly and said I knew how to flatter."

"Well," answered Stanton. "I hardly think you will win her, if what our friend Ashton said is true. You have no million to offer her."

"Oh, fly on your million!" said Raymond. "She's got to have me any way. If I can't get her by fair means, I'll resort to stratagem."

Thus the young man raved for nearly half an hour about Mrs. Carrington, whose handsome features, glossy curls, bright eyes, brilliant complexion and agreeable manners had nearly turned his head. Mrs. Carrington, too, had received an impression. There was something in Raymond's dashing manner, which she called "air," and she felt greatly pleased with his flattering compliments. She thought he would be a very pleasant companion to flirt with for an hour or two; but could she have known what his real intentions concerning her were she would have spurned him with contempt-as she afterward did.

The next day at dinner Stanton and Raymond took their seats at Mrs.

Crane's table. To Raymond's great delight Mrs. Carrington sat opposite him. Stanton occupied Dr. Lacey's seat, which brought f.a.n.n.y directly in front of him. f.a.n.n.y had been prepared in a measure for the striking resemblance between Stanton and Dr. Lacey; but when she was introduced to him, his looks brought Dr. Lacey so forcibly before her that she instantly grew pale and half wished to leave the room. But a look from Mrs. Miller rea.s.sured her, and she took her accustomed place at the table.

Ere dinner was over she had forgotten for the time her lover's neglect, and was in the midst of an animated conversation with Stanton, who was much pleased with his cousin's choice. Stanton's looks and manners were so much like Dr. Lacey's that f.a.n.n.y felt herself irresistibly drawn toward him and her face a.s.sumed a brighter aspect than it had worn for many days.

Julia watched her closely and felt that nothing could please her better than a flirtation between Stanton and her sister.

But such was not a part of f.a.n.n.y's intentions. She liked Stanton because he was agreeable, intelligent and Dr. Lacey's cousin; but she would sooner have parted with her right hand than have done anything inconsistent with her engagement with Dr. Lacey. On the other hand, Stanton's heart was too strongly fortified with Nellie's charms to admit of an entrance to the gentle f.a.n.n.y. But he admired her very much, and seemed to think that she had some claim upon him in the absence of his cousin.

Thus, as days went on, his polite attentions toward f.a.n.n.y increased, and Julia resolved to make this fact work for the accomplishment of her designs.

CHAPTER X

TEMPEST FORGES A LETTER AND ITS RESULTS

Let us now go back for a few weeks and watch Julia's plot as it progresses. We have learned from f.a.n.n.y that four letters arrived from Dr.

Lacey; but the fifth she was destined never to receive. She was expecting it on Tuesday and was about going to the post office, when Julia said, "f.a.n.n.y, I feel just like walking this morning; suppose you let me run round to the post office and get your expected letter."

"Very well," answered f.a.n.n.y; "but don't be gone long."

"I won't," said Julia, gaily. "You sit down by the window and when I come round the corner on my return home. I will hold up your letter, and you will know you have one at least a minute before I reach home."

So saying she departed, and f.a.n.n.y sat down by the window to await her return. For several days past there had been a change in Julia's deportment. She was very amiable and kind to the household in general and to f.a.n.n.y in particular. This was a part of her plan, so that in the catastrophe that was about to follow, she might not be suspected of foul play.

At first f.a.n.n.y was surprised at her affectionate advances, but it was so pleasant to have a sister who would love her that she did not ask the reason of so sudden a change, and when Julia very humbly asked forgiveness for all her former unkindness, the innocent-hearted f.a.n.n.y burst into tears, and declared she had nothing to forgive, if her sister would only continue to love her always. Julia placed a Judas-like kiss on f.a.n.n.y's pure brow, and gave a promise that she would try to be good; but she thought to herself, "this seeming change will make a favorable impression on Dr. Lacey when he hears of it."

She knew that f.a.n.n.y was expecting a letter on the Tuesday morning of which we have spoken, and fearing that by some means Mr. Dunn might fail of securing it, she determined to go herself for the mail. When she reached the post office the sinister smile with which Mr. Dunn greeted her a.s.sured her that he had something for her, and she readily conjectured that it was f.a.n.n.y's expected letter.

"Good morning, Mr. Dunn!" said she. "Anything for me this morning?"

"Yes, ma'am," answered Dunn, with a very low bow; and casting a furtive glance around to make sure that no one saw him, he drew from his pocket a letter, on which Julia instantly recognized Dr. Lacey's handwriting. She took it and placed it in the pocket of her dress.

On her way home, conscience clamored loudly in behalf of f.a.n.n.y's rights.

It said, "Beware what you do! Give f.a.n.n.y her letter. It is a crime to withhold it." But again the monitress was stilled, and the crafty girl kept on her way, firm in her sinful purpose, until she reached the corner which brought her in sight of the window where f.a.n.n.y was impatiently watching for her. The sight of that bright, joyous face, as it looked from the window, anxious for the expected sight of her letter, made Julia for a moment waver. She thought how gentle and loving f.a.n.n.y had always been to her and involuntarily her hand sought the letter which lay like a crushing weight in her pocket. It was half drawn from its hiding place when the spirit of evil which seemed ever to follow Julia's footsteps whispered, "Let it alone. You have gone too far to retreat. You have Dr. Lacey to win, and it can be done in no other way."

Julia listened to the tempter, her hand was withdrawn, and f.a.n.n.y looked in vain for her letter. A faint sickness stole over her for a moment but she thought, "Perhaps Julia means to tease me. I will appear very unconcerned and not ask for it." So when Julia entered the room, she found that her sister's attention was suddenly, distracted by something in the street; but f.a.n.n.y was not accustomed to dissemble and the rosy flush on her cheek showed how anxious she was.

At last Julia said, "Why do you not ask for your letter, f.a.n.n.y?"

Oh, how eager was the expression of the sweet, pale face which was instantly turned toward the speaker. Springing up she exclaimed, "Oh, Julia, you have got me one, haven't you? Please give it to me."

"I will tomorrow when it arrives," said Julia. "It has probably been delayed."

f.a.n.n.y's countenance fell and she said, "Then you haven't got me a letter?

Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"Never mind, sister," said Julia. "It will come tomorrow, and will seem all the better for waiting."

Tomorrow came, but with it came no letter, and days wore on, until at last it was Sat.u.r.day night. Alone in her room poor f.a.n.n.y was weeping bitterly.

Was Dr. Lacey sick or dead? This was the question which she continually asked herself. A suspicion of his unfaithfulness had not yet entered her mind. While she was yet weeping an arm was thrown affectionately round her, and a voice whispered in the sweetest possible tones, "Dear sister, do not weep so. If he were dead, some one would inform you. And now I think of it, why do you not write to him? There would be no harm in doing so. Come, sit down, and write him a few lines before dark, and I will take them to the office."

So f.a.n.n.y sat down to her writing desk, and the few lines proved to be a long letter ere she had finished. It was a most touchingly sad letter, and ought to have drawn tears from Julia, instead of forcing the malicious smile which played around her mouth while reading her sister's effusion.

It is needless to say that, although Julia went to the post office, this letter never did but was placed in a little box by the side of two others, which had arrived from Dr. Lacey that week.

After Julia returned from her walk that evening she said, "f.a.n.n.y, if I were you I would not tell any one that I did not hear from Dr. Lacey, for you know it's just possible that he may not be sick, and in that case your best way would be to seem quite as forgetful of him."

"Forgetful!" said f.a.n.n.y. "Why, Julia, what do you mean? You cannot-Oh, no, I know you do not think Dr. Lacey untrue to me?" And f.a.n.n.y's large blue eyes were fixed on her sister with as much earnestness as though her answer could decide her fate forever.

"I do not like to think so, any more than you do," said Julia. "But Dr.

Lacey is now in the gay city of New Orleans, surrounded by beauty and fashion, and were I his betrothed, I should not think it strange if he did not remain true to me."

f.a.n.n.y answered slowly, as if speaking were painful to her, "Oh, no, no! He cannot be false-anything but that."

It was a new idea to her, and that night a weight of sadness, heavier than she had ever known before, filled her heart. She thought, "I will wait and see if he answers my letter before I believe him unfaithful."

The next day was the Sabbath. About church time Julia announced her intentions of remaining at home on the plea of a violent headache. f.a.n.n.y immediately offered to stay with her, but Julia declined, saying that sooner than both should be absent from church she would go herself.

Accordingly Julia was left alone. She watched her sister until she disappeared down the street. Then she arose, and locking the door, drew from her pocket a small key, and unlocking a rosewood box, took from it one of Dr. Lacey's letters. Going to her writing desk, she sat down and commenced imitating his handwriting. She was very skillful in the art of imitation, and was delighted to find herself rapidly succeeding in her attempts at counterfeiting. So busily engaged was she that she did not heed the lapse of time, until her sister's footsteps were heard ascending the stairs. She sprang hastily up, and thrusting her writing materials into the box locked it, and had just time to throw herself upon the sofa when f.a.n.n.y knocked at the door. Julia allowed her to knock twice, and then getting up she unfastened the door, at the same time yawning and rubbing her eyes as if just awakened from a sound slumber.