ia, provided Dr. Lacey
should show her any marked attention.

Mrs. Carrington was not in a very enviable mood. The night before Raymond
had offered her his heart and hand, and of course had been rejected. He
was in the parlor when Julia so abruptly took her uncle away. As there was
no one present besides Mrs. Carrington, he seized upon that moment to
declare his love. It is impossible to describe the loathing and contempt
which she pretended to feel for him who sued so earnestly for her hand,
even if her heart did not accompany it. Nothing daunted by her haughty
refusal, Raymond arose, and standing proudly before the indignant lady
said, "Ida Carrington, however much dislike you may pretend to feel for me
I do not believe it. I know I am not wholly disagreeable to you, and were
I possessed of thousands, you would gladly seize the golden bait. I do not
ask you to love me, for it is not in your nature to love anything. You are
ambitious, and even now are dreaming of one whom you will never win; for
just as sure as yon sun shall set again, so sure you, proud lady, shall
one day be my wife."

When Mrs. Carrington had recovered a little from the surprise into which
Raymond's fiery speech had thrown her, he was gone and she was alone.
"Impudent puppy!" said she; "and yet he was right in saying he was not
disagreeable to me. But I'll never be his wife. I'd die first!" Still, do
what she would, a feeling haunted her that Raymond's prediction would
prove true. Perhaps it was this which made her so determined to supplant
Julia in Dr. Lacey's good opinion, should he ever presume to think
favorably of her. How she succeeded we shall see hereafter.

CHAPTER XVII

FANNY MIDDLETON ARRIVES IN NEW YORK

Three weeks after Mr. Middleton's departure for New Orleans, Mr. Miller's
school closed. Uncle Joshua was present at the examination, and
congratulated himself much because he did not feel at all "stuck up" at
seeing both Julia and Fanny acquit themselves so creditably. After the
exercises were concluded, he returned with Mr. Miller to Mrs. Crane's.
Just before he started for home he drew from his sheepskin pocketbook five
hundred dollars, which he divided equally between his daughters, saying,
"Here, gals, I reckon this will be enough to pay for all the furbelows
you've bought or will want to buy. I'll leave you here the rest of the
week to see to fixin' up your rig, but