e her arms wound round the neck of her enraged father, while she begged
of him to be quiet, and think reasonably of the matter. Not long could one
resist the arguments of Fanny; and in less than half an hour her father
grew calm, and said more gently, "I shouldn't have been so rarin' mad, if
it had been anybody but you, Sunshine. I s'pose I did go on high, and swar
like a pirate. I didn't mean to do that, for I promised Bill I'd try and
leave off."

"Leave swearing?" said Fanny. "Oh, I'm so glad. I hope you will. Now
promise that you will, dear father, and say again that you will not
mention Dr. Lacey's conduct either to him or to any one else."

"I have promised once," said Mr. Middleton, "and one promise is as good as
forty. Old Josh'll never break his word as long as he has his senses. But
that paltry doctor owes his life to you, Sunshine. Half an hour ago I was
as fully set to knock him over as I am now determined to let the varmint
go to destruction in his own way."

Fanny shuddered at the idea of her father becoming the murderer of Dr.
Lacey, and Mrs. Middleton rejoined, "I am glad, husband, to hear you talk
more sensibly. It can do no possible good for you to shoot Dr. Lacey, and
then lose your own life, as you assuredly would; besides, I think the less
we say of the matter, the better it will be."

"I reckon you are right, Nancy," said Mr. Middleton; "but hang it all,
what excuse shall I give Bill for not lettin' the gals go to New Orleans?"

"But, father," said Fanny, "you will let Julia go, of course. Uncle knows
I do not intend to go, and consequently will think nothing of that; and
there is no reason why Julia should not go to New Orleans, and I to New
York. Now, say we may; that's a dear father."

"I s'pose I'll have to, honey," answered Mr. Middleton; "but if I can see
ahead an inch, you're bitin' your own nose off by sending Tempest to New
Orleans without you."

Afterward Fanny remembered this speech, and understood it, too; but now
she was prevented from giving it a thought by her father, who continued,
"Doesn't that Cameron chap live some'us in New York?"

There was no reason for it, but Fanny blushed deeply as she replied, "Yes,
sir; Mr. Cameron lives in New York City; but I am not going to see him."

"Mebby not," answered her father; "but my name ain't Josh if he won't be
on the lookout for you. And 'twixt us, darling, now the doctor's sarved
you such a scaly trick, I shouldn't pitch and drive