This morning, however, the mystery was explained, but in what way he could
not tell.
Soon after he appeared on the balcony, Nellie pointed to a gentleman who
was crossing the street and inquired his name. On being told she replied:
"He looks very much like a Mr. Barnard I used to know years ago in ----,"
mentioning the town where she was born.
"Used to know where?" asked Ashton quickly.
Nellie repeated the name and Ashton said, "Why, that's my native town, and
I knew Mr. Barnard well." Then as if the light of a sudden revelation fell
upon him, he added, "And your name, too, was Nellie Ashton? I once had a
sister Nellie, on whose rosy cheeks I dropped a tear the night I ran away
to sea. Can it be that you are that Nellie?"
A few moments more sufficed them to discover what we have long surmized,
viz., that Henry Ashton and Nellie Stanton were brother and sister. The
surprise and pleasure of their recognition is better imagined than
described. We will only say that when Stanton, on his return from the
office, stepped out upon the balcony in quest of his wife, he was greatly
shocked at beholding her in Ashton's arms, and his amazement was increased
when he saw that she not only suffered his caresses, but also returned
them in a manner highly displeasing to the young husband. Fanny, however,
soon explained all, and Stanton gladly received Ashton as a newly found
brother.
It is unnecessary for us to repeat what Nellie and her brother had to
relate concerning themselves since the night when Ashton so
unceremoniously took leave of his home. With the important points in their
history the reader is already acquainted, so for the present we leave
them, while we take a brief glance at Mrs. Carrington. The reader will
doubtless think that for once in her life that estimable lady has done a
good deed, although her motive was not the best in the world. Before Julia
went to New Orleans, Mrs. Carrington so far overcame her dislike as to ask
her to write. Julia did not promise to do so, but probably concluded she
would, for soon after her arrival in New Orleans she wrote to her a
letter, in which she hinted at the probable result of her visit. She was
then a guest of Dr. Lacey, and she spoke of his attention and politeness
in the most extravagant terms. This so provoked Mrs. Carrington that she
determined at once to write to Dr. Lacey, and give him an insight into
Julia's real character.