in the
selection of a country seat. "By the way," continued he, "you are stopping
at the St. Charles, I believe. Suppose you exchange your rooms at the
hotel for a home with me, and become my guest until you leave the city for
Kentucky?"

Mr. Middleton accepted Dr. Lacey's invitation willingly, and the three
weeks which he spent at his residence passed rapidly and pleasantly away.
During that time Dr. Lacey met with a gentleman who owned a very handsome
villa near the lake shore. This he wished to dispose of, and Mr. Middleton
and Dr. Lacey went down to inspect it. They found it every way desirable,
and Mr. Middleton finally purchased it at an enormous price, and called it
the "Indian Nest." "Here," said he, speaking to Dr. Lacey, "here I shall
at last find that happiness which I have sought for in vain during forty
years. I shall have both my nieces with me, besides Miss Mortimer and Miss
Woodburn. I suppose I shall have to invite some other young gentleman
besides yourself, for the girls will hardly fancy the old Indian for a
beau."

Dr. Lacey did not reply. He was thinking how much pleasure such an
arrangement would have given him a few months ago; but now all was
changed, and the thought of again meeting Fanny afforded him more pain
than pleasure.

Mr. Middleton noticed his silence, and as he was slightly tinctured with
the abruptness which characterized his brother, he said, "Why, young man,
what is the matter? Have you been disappointed, or what makes you manifest
so much indifference to spending the summer, or a part of it, with four
agreeable girls?"

Dr. Lacey saw the necessity of rousing himself from his melancholy mood,
and assuming a gayety he did not feel, he said, "I feel very much
flattered, Mr. Middleton, with the honor you confer upon me, but I have
for some time past been subject to low spirits; so you must not mind it if
I am not always gay. Come, let us go into the garden and see what
improvements are needed there."

So saying, they turned together into the large terraced garden. While they
were engaged in walking over the handsome grounds which surrounded "The
Indian Nest," Rondeau, who had accompanied his master, was differently
occupied. Strolling down to the lake shore, he amused himself for a time
by watching the waves as they dashed against the pebbly beach, and by
fancying that each of them reflected the image of Leffie's bright, round
face. Then buttoning up his coat he would strut back