Tempest and Sunshine - Page 121/234

"Do not be too sanguine, Katy," answered Mr. Miller: "you may be

disappointed."

"Well," continued Kate, "if he pays no attention to your letter, I shall

be satisfied that he really is undeserving of Fanny's esteem. I'll not

tell her that you have written, for fear of the consequence."

So days came and went, week followed week, in rapid succession, until five

weeks were numbered with the past since Mr. Miller's letter had been

dispatched. Kate had waited and watched until even her sanguine nature had

ceased to hope; for there had come no tidings from the far off Crescent

City, and both she and her husband had unwillingly come to the conclusion

that Dr. Lacey was really false. Kate manifested her disappointment by an

increased tenderness of manner toward Fanny, whom she sincerely loved, and

by a more gracious deportment toward Julia, whom she began to fear she had

wronged by suspecting her of being accessory to Dr. Lacey's conduct.