Year: 1879

is very handsome; perhaps an old Hame OF
nv father-in-law's. I am told he was gay in
his youth"


"Perhaps Mrs. Tracy knows something of
it," said l..


"Then it's odd it should have been kept in
a secret drawer" he rejoined.


thought little of the matter, and laying
the picture aside, proceeded with my occupa'
ton of looking through papers. The task was
soon completed. There was nothing more of
any consequence, and having replaced in the
desk, the drawer and other contents just as |
had found them, I turned the key, took it out
of the lock, and, at Ralph's suggestion, be-
slowed it in one of the recesses of an escri-
toire appropriated to Mrs. Tracy's own use.


I shall not transcribe the details of the
next two days. Suffice it to say that my
brothers funeral duly took place, his remains
being inferred in the cemetery belonging to
the parish church, where most of his family
were buried. wrote letter to my second
halfbrother, Charles Tracy (who had not
been able to come up yet from town) inform.
ing him of the order in which everything had
been done, and requesting to know definitely
how soon he might be expected, with his fam
lily, to take possession Of Hollywell. This |
did on account of Fanny and her mother,
not wishing them to be needlessly hurried in
their departure Learned, by return of mail,
that the new owners would not arrive for a
month or six weeks yet, so there was time suf-
6cient for the present residents to arrange their
plans and accomplish their move.


Mrs. Tracy decided upon going to her rel
atives in town. Ralph seemed unable to
come to any conclusion respecting his future
life. He spoke of Fanny going, as matter
of course, with her mother; but at this the
latter demurred-did not know whether there
would be room to accommodate more than
herself, and so forth. Overhearing the dis.
cussion, Immediately proposed to take Fan
ny home with me, either with or without
Ralph, as it suited him, and have her stay
there as long as she found it desirable to do so.


"Ralph is so unaccountably undecided" J"
said Mrs. Tracy. 81 cannot imagine why he
does not make some plan. 1t is unreasonable
of him to expect me to take care OF Fanny
now. He is her husband let him provide
for her."


"Mother," said Ralph, angrily, "you tempt
me to answer you in way which | might be
sorry for. Can 1 help the failure of my busi-
ness prospects? You know I must cast about
for something new. cannot get settled, all
at once, as you can. Let Fanny accept her
uncle's offer; it will be we'll for her to have
a comfortable home with him, until | can
make one for her. Knowing that she is pro-
vided for, I can look around at leisure until
am suited"


"Please yourselves" said Mrs. Tracy. Gail
can say is, that I am unable to assist you.
Your father has left me utterly destitute, or
very nearly so ; and your own imprudence
appears to have placed you in the same
plight"


"This discussion is really painful one, -
said I, with warmth, "and most inopportune
at such a time. Pray let it be considered
settled that Fanny remains with me until
Ralph's home is ready for her; that is to say,
provided she does not object"


Poor Fanny, who had sat mute pending
the controversy, now suddenly rose from her
seat, and bursting into tears, exclaimed in a
stiAed voice, 81 will 60 with you, uncle Per-
ry!" and ran out of the room.


The upshot of it all was, that Fanny came
with me, at the close of the month, to my
place, Brierwood. Mrs. Tracy went to town,
and so did Ralph but whether he was fix
ture there, or how he employed himself, was
more than could tell. He came up once in
six weeks to see his wife, and stayed two
days. When questioned him in regard to his
prospects, he answered, vaguely, that he had
been able to settle nothing yet. / did not
wish to appear too much concerned on the
subject, for fear of exciting the suspicion
that I was impatient to get rid Of Fan
ny though, Heaven knows, l was only too
happy to afford her the shelter Of my home,
and the benefit of my protection. l compass
sionated her forlorn situation, and my heart
ached to see her daily droop more and more,
while her face grew thin and wan, and it
seemed difficult for her to smile l could,
with pleasure, have chastised the scoundrel
(for was now fully disposed to consider him
such) who was inAicting pain upon her tender,
trusting heart; but l refrained from even
speaking severely to him, believing that for
Fanny's sake it was my best policy to keep
on friendly terms.


The Charles Tracys were settled at Holly
WE'LL and were quite inclined to be sociable.
Indeed, Mrs Charles went so far as to invite
Fanny to 20 over and spend as long time
as she felt inclined in her old home, and
though the invitation was not accepted, she
did not slacken in her civility. She was a
bustling sort of woman, very housewifely and
industrious, and little too disposed to show
her elation at the improvement in her world
ly circumstances. She had houseful Of
daughters, and one son, conceited prig who
was studying his fathers profession, and
expected to be shining light at the bar. l
did not fancy the family, myself; not that
1 had any quarrel with Charles, for I had
always made it a point to keep on good terms
with my stepfather's children. could see
that Fanny did not find her cousins congenial
company; but in her depressed frame of mind
no sort of company was acceptable to her.
Her greatest comfort seemed to be in solitude.