Tempest and Sunshine

"Have you said anything to them about it?" asked Mr. Middleton.

"Yes," answered his brother. "I have mentioned it to them."

"What did they say?"

"Fanny said nothing, but Julia seemed much pleased with the idea," said

William.

"I'll warrant that," returned Mr. Middleton. "She's tickled enough, and in

her own mind she's run up a bill agin me for at least five hundred.

Sunshine is so modest, I s'pose, because Dr. Lacey will be there, that she

does not want to seem very glad; but she'll go. I'll have them come home

tomorrow, and will talk the matter over. I'd as soon have her go to New

Orleans as to New York."

Here the conversation was interrupted by Mrs. Middleton, who came to tell

her husband that it was past nine. Mr. Middleton had a great horror of

being up after that hour, so he hastily bade his brother and Ashton good

night, saying to the former, "Now I've got kind of used to your being

alive, Bill, I hope I shan't have such pesky work goin' to sleep."

Next morning Ashton returned to Frankfort in the carriage which Mr.

Middleton had sent for the purpose of bringing his daughters home. For

once in her life, Julia was delighted with the idea of visiting her

parents. She had learned from a note which her mother had written that the

reason of their being sent for was to talk over the matter of going to New

Orleans. Fanny felt differently. She wished, yet dreaded, to go home. She

too knew why they were sent for; and as she was determined not to go to

New Orleans, it would be necessary at last to tell her father the true

reason. She was certain he would be unsparing in his wrath against Dr.

Lacey, and she almost trembled for the consequences.

When at last she was ready she descended to the parlor, and sitting down

to her piano ran her fingers lightly over the keys. At that moment Frank

Cameron entered. He had learned from his cousin, Kate, enough of Fanny's

history to make him fear that she never could be aught to him; and yet the

knowledge that he could not, must not, hope to win her, only rendered the

attraction stronger. He was intending to start for home the next day, and

had now come to spend a few minutes alone with Fanny ere he bade her

good-by. As he entered the room she ceased playing, and said, "I believe

you leave town tomorrow, do you not?"