st dress. Just the
pattern was fifty dollars, she said.

"The steamer sails in three days, and I will write again before that
time, sending it by Mr. Ray, who is to stop over one train at Linwood.
Wilford has just come in and says I have written enough for now, but
I will tell you how he has bought me a diamond pin and earrings, which
Esther, who knows the value of everything, says never cost less than
five hundred dollars.

"Yours, loving, KATY CAMERON."

"Five hundred dollars!" and Aunt Betsy held up her hands in horror,
while Helen sat a long time with the letter in her hand, cogitating upon
its contents, and especially upon the part referring to herself, and
what Mark Ray said of her.

Every human heart is susceptible of flattery, and Helen was not an
entire exception. Still with her ideas of city men she could not at once
think favorably of Mark Ray, just for a few complimentary words which
might or might not have been in earnest, and she found herself looking
forward with nervous dread to the time when he would stop at Linwood,
and of course call on her, as he would bring a letter from Katy.

Very sadly to the inmates of the farmhouse rose the morning of the day
when Katy was to sail, and as if they could really see the tall masts of
the vessel which was to bear her away, the eyes of the whole family were
turned often to the eastward with a wistful, anxious gaze, while on
their lips and in their hearts were earnest prayers for the safety of
that ship and the precious freight it bore. But hours, however sad, will
wear themselves away, and so the day went on, succeeded by the night,
until that too had passed and another day had come, the second of Katy's
ocean life. At the farmhouse the work was all done up, and Helen in her
neat gingham dress, with her bands of brown hair bound about her head,
sat listlessly at her sewing, when she was startled by the sound of
wheels, and looking up saw the boy employed to carry packages from the
express office, driving to their door with a trunk, which he said had
come that morning from Boston.

In some surprise Helen hastened to unlock it with the key which she
found appended to it. The trunk was full, and over the whole a linen
towel was folded, while on the top of that lay a letter in Katy's
handwriting, directed to Helen, who, sitting down upon the floor, broke
the seal and read aloud as follows:

"BOSTON, June--, Revere House,

"Nearly midnight.

"MY DEAR SISTER H