endeavored to appear at ease;
and rising up, she offered Frank her hand, saying, "I must bid you
farewell, Mr. Cameron."

Frank took her hand, and quick as thought raised it to his lips. Fanny's
cheeks reddened as she hastily withdrew her hand, saying rather
indignantly, "Mr. Cameron, I am surprised!"

Frank expected as much, and he said, rather gayly, "Pardon me, Miss
Middleton, I could not help it, and would not if I could. It is all I ever
hope to receive from you; and years hence, when I am a lone, lorn old
bachelor, I shall love to think of the morning when I bade good-by to and
kissed Fanny Middleton."

A moment more and the carriage drove rapidly away. Frank watched it until
it disappeared down the street; then turning away, he thought, "I have met
and parted with the only person on earth who has power to awaken in me any
deeper feeling than that of respect."

When Julia and Fanny reached home, they were greeted kindly by both their
parents and uncle. The latter had resolved to watch them closely, in order
to ascertain, if possible, the reason of his brother's evident preference
for Fanny. During the morning nothing was said of the projected visit to
New Orleans; and Julia was becoming very impatient, but she knew better
than to broach the subject herself; so she was obliged to wait.

That evening the family, as usual, assembled on the little porch. Fanny
occupied her accustomed seat and low stool by the side of her father,
whose pipe she filled and refilled; for he said, "The tobacker tasted a
heap better after Sunshine had handled it."

Julia could wait no longer, and she began the conversation by asking her
uncle something about New Orleans.

"Thar, I knew 'twould be so," said Mr. Middleton; "Tempest is in a desput
hurry to know whether I'm going to cash over and send her to market in New
Orleans."

"Well, father," said Julia, coaxingly, "you are going to let Fanny and me
go with Uncle William I know."

It was lucky for Julia that she chanced to mention her sister; for however
much her father might be inclined to tease her, the word "Fanny" mollified
him at once, and he answered, "Why, yes, I may as well let you go as to
keep you here doing nothing, and eating up my corn bread." Then drawing
Fanny nearer to him, he said, "I've talked some of letting Sunshine go to
New York, but she'll jump at the chance of going to New Orleans, I
reckon."

There was no answer, and as Julia was not particularly desi