placed in the rosewood box by the side of its companions.

Slowly but surely the painful conviction fixed itself upon Fanny's mind
that Dr. Lacey was false. It was dreadful to think so, but there seemed no
other alternative, and Fanny's heart grew sadder, and her step less joyous
and elastic, while her merry laugh was now seldom heard ringing out in its
clear, silvery tones, making the servants stop their work to listen and
exclaim, "How lonesome t'would be without Miss Fanny; she's the life of
the house, Lor' bless her."

The change was noticed and spoken of by the inmates of Mrs. Crane's
dwelling. Mr. Miller attributed it to a too close application to books,
and recommended her to relax somewhat in her studies. Fanny had too much
of woman's pride to allow anyone except Julia to know the real cause of
her sadness, and was glad to have her languor ascribed to over-exertion.
On the night when Kate had found her weeping she had involuntarily told
her secret, but she went to Mrs. Miller the next morning and won from her
a promise not to mention what she had revealed, even to her husband.

Mr. Stanton's presence seemed to divert Fanny's mind, and the two weeks
following his arrival passed away more pleasantly than she had thought two
weeks could pass, uncheered by a line from Dr. Lacey. At the end of that
time it pleased Julia that Fanny should have a pretended letter from New
Orleans. Several days were spent in preparing it, but at last it was
completed, folded, sealed and directed. Mr. Dunn pronounced the deception
perfect. He stamped it with the Frankfort postmark so slightly that one
would as soon have called it "New Orleans" as anything else.

Fanny was seated in the parlor in company with Stanton when Julia suddenly
entered the room and said, "Oh, here you are, sister. I've looked
everywhere for you. Here is a letter."

One glance at the superscription assured her that it was from Dr. Lacey. A
bright, beautiful flush suffused Fanny's face, which became irradiated
with sudden joy. Asking Mr. Stanton to excuse her, she went to her rooms,
so as to be alone when she perused the precious document. After she was
gone, Julia spoke of Dr. Lacey and asked Stanton if he had ever heard from
him. Stanton replied, "While Dr. Lacey was in college he spent a part of
his vacations at my father's; but I almost always chanced to be absent at
school, and consequently we are not much acquainted. He did write to me a
few times while