lady sitting by her. This was Mrs. Carrington, whose delicate nerves would
not suffer her to attend a funeral. On seeing Kate move, she spoke to her
and asked her if she felt better.

"Yes, much better," said Kate; "but where am I? What has happened?" And
then as the recollection of what had occurred came over her, she burst
into tears and said, "My brother--they have buried him, I suppose, and I
cannot see him again."

Mrs. Carrington answered, "I think they have not gone to the cemetery yet.
I will dispatch a servant and ask them to delay the burial a few moments,
if you desire it."

Kate thanked her; but at that moment a messenger came from Mr. Miller. He
had anticipated Kate's wishes, and sent word that a carriage was waiting
to convey her to the church, where she would have another opportunity of
seeing her brother. Mrs. Carrington felt constrained to offer to accompany
her, and the two proceeded to the church and thence to the cemetery.

Although Mrs. Carrington had not visited Mr. Wilmot during his illness,
she was by no means ignorant of Fanny's attentions. She had taken great
pains to comment upon them in Dr. Lacey's presence, saying, "that she had
often suspected Fanny of possessing a more than ordinary affection for Mr.
Wilmot, and she had sometimes thought her affection returned. For her
part, she did not blame Julia for absenting herself from him, for she had
probably discovered his preference for her sister." Her object in doing
this was to make Dr. Lacey think less favorably of Fanny, for with her
practised eye she had discovered that for no other female did he feel such
an interest as for "Little Fanny Middleton," as she always termed her.

At the grave she noticed Fanny's pale face and swollen eyes, and found
occasion to say to her, loud enough for Dr. Lacey to hear, "I am
astonished, Fanny, to see you show to the world how much you loved your
sister's betrothed."

This remark had no effect upon Fanny, except causing her to look at Mrs.
Carrington in surprise and to wonder what she meant. With Dr. Lacey it was
different. Imperceptibly, "Little Fanny Middleton" had won a place in his
heart which no other one had ever possessed. At first he admired her for
her frank, confiding nature, and afterward he learned to love her for the
many lovely traits of her character. He had thought it perfectly natural
that she should feel a great interest in Mr. Wilmot, who was for so long a
time a member of her fat