Kate Danton | Page 5

sat down, her

thoughts drifting backward to the past. Backward four years, and she
saw herself, a penniless orphan, dependent on the bounty of that
miserly Uncle Roosevelt in Montreal. She saw again the stately
gentleman who came to her, and told her he was her father's third
cousin, Captain Danton, of Danton Hall. She had never seen him before;
but she had heard of her wealthy cousin from childhood, and knew his
history. She knew he had married in early youth an English lady, who
had died ten years after, leaving four children--a son, Henry, and three
daughters, Katherine, Rosina and Eveleen. The son, wild and wayward
all his life, broke loose at the age of twenty, forged his father's name,
and fled to New York, married an actress, got into a gambling affray,
and was stabbed. That was the end of him. The eldest daughter, born in
England, had been brought up by her maternal grandmother, who was
rich, and whose heiress she was to be. Mrs. Danton and her two
youngest children resided at the Hall, while the Captain was mostly
absent. After her death, a Canadian lady had taken charge of the house
and Captain Danton's daughters. All this Grace knew, and was quite
unprepared to see her distant kinsman, and to hear that the Canadian
lady had married and left, and that she was solicited to take her place.
The Captain's terms were so generous that Grace accepted at once; and,
a week after, was domesticated at the Hall, housekeeper and companion
to his daughters.
Four years ago. Looking back to-night, Grace sighed to think how
pleasant it had all been, now that it was over. It had been such a quiet,
untroubled time--she sole mistress, Rose's fits of ill-temper and Eeny's
fits of illness the only drawback. And now it was at an end forever. The
heiress of Danton Hall was coming to wield the sceptre, and a new era
would dawn with the morrow.
There was a tap at the door, and a voice asking: "May I come in,
Grace?" and Grace woke up from her dreaming.
"Yes, Eeny," she said; and Eeny came in, looking at her searchingly.
"Have you been crying?" she asked, taking a stool at her feet.
"Crying? no! What should I cry for?"

"You look so solemn. I heard your visitor go, and ran up. Who was it?"
"My brother, who has just returned from Germany."
"Dear me! Didn't I say he had eyes like you? He's a Doctor, isn't he?"
"Yes."
"Grace, I thought you said you were poor?"
"Well, I am poor--am I not?"
"Then who paid for your brother studying medicine in Germany?"
"Uncle Roosevelt. He is very fond of Frank."
"Is your Uncle Roosevelt rich?"
"I believe so. Very rich, and very miserly."
"Has he sons and daughters?"
"No; we are his nearest relatives."
"Then, perhaps, he will leave you his fortune, Grace."
"Hardly, I think. He may remember Frank in his will; but there is no
telling. He is very eccentric."
"Grace, I hope he won't leave it to you," said Eeny soberly.
"Really, why not, pray?"
"Because, if you were rich you would go away. I should be sorry if you
left Danton Hall."
Grace stooped to kiss the pale young face.
"My dear Eeny, you forget that your beautiful sister Kate is coming. In

a week or two, you will have room in your heart for no one but her."
"You know better than that," said Eeny; "perhaps she will be like Rose,
and I shall not love her at all."
Grace smiled.
"Do you mean to say you do not love Rose, then?"
"Love Rose?" repeated Eeny, very much amazed at the question; "love
Rose, indeed! I should like to see any one who could love Rose. Grace,
where is your brother stopping? At the hotel?"
"No; at Monsieur le Curé's. He knows Father Francis. Eeny, do you
hear that?"
She started up, listening. Through the tempest of wind and rain, and the
surging of the trees, they could hear carriage wheels rattling rapidly up
to the house.
"I hear it," said Eeny; "papa has come. O Grace, how pale you are!"
"Am I?" Grace said, laying her hand on heart, and moving towards the
door. She paused in the act of opening it, and caught Eeny suddenly
and passionately to her heart. "Eeny, my darling, before they come, tell
me once more you will not let this new sister steal your heart entirely
from me. Tell me you will love me still."
"Always, Grace," said Eeny; "there--the carriage has stopped!"
Grace opened the door and went out into the entrance hall. The
marble-paved floor, the domed ceiling, the carved, and statued, and
pictured walls, were quite grand in the blaze of a