APTER XX

RONDEAU DIGS UP THE MISSING LETTER

The first three weeks of Julia's stay in New Orleans were, as we have
learned, spent at the house of Dr. Lacey. His mother was present, and
although she readily acknowledged the uncommon beauty of her fair visitor,
yet from the first she disliked her.

The servants, too, as if adopting the opinion of their mistress, felt and
expressed among themselves an aversion to the "evil-eyed lady," as they
termed Julia. Aunt Dilsey, in particular, soon had her own reason for
disliking her. The second day after Julia's arrival, as she was strolling
through the yard, she encountered Jackson, a bright little fellow, three
years of age, and Aunt Dilsey's only son. Jack, as he was usually called,
was amusing himself by seeing how far he could spit! Unfortunately he spit
too far, and hit Miss Julia's pink muslin. In an instant her white,
slender fingers were buried in his wool. His screams soon brought Aunt
Dilsey to the rescue. Upon learning the dreadful crime of which Jack had
been guilty, she snatched him from Julia's grasp, and hurried him into the
house without a word. From that time Dilsey was Julia's sworn enemy, and
Jack was taught to make up faces at her, whenever he could do so without
being discovered.

The servants, however, were too well trained to manifest any open
disrespect, for they knew she was "marster's guest," and as such was
entitled to every possible attention.

When first she arrived Dr. Lacey felt exceedingly uncomfortable, for her
presence constantly reminded him of the past, and his reminiscences of
Julia were not particularly pleasant. Gradually this feeling wore away,
for she appeared greatly changed. There was a softness, a gentleness, in
her manner, which seemed to Dr. Lacey like Fanny, and then her voice, too,
was so like her sister's that ere long she ceased to be disagreeable to
him, and instead of avoiding her society, as at first he had done, he now
sought it.

Julia saw her advantage, and determined to follow it up. Nothing could
exceed her extreme amiability, and apparent sweetness of disposition. Even
Mrs. Lacey was partially deceived, and concluded she had been too hasty in
her estimation of Miss Middleton. Still she watched her son's movements
narrowly, and hoped he had no intentions of making Julia his wife.

She was in New Orleans three weeks before her uncle's house was in
readiness; but at the end of that time she, t