Fanny.”

Many times did Fanny read over this letter before resolving to send it.  Far, very far, was it from satisfying her.  She feared that it was too cold—­too repellant—­too imperative.  But it gave the true alternative.  She was not yet ready to abandon father and mother for one who had thrown a spell over her heart almost as strong as the enchantment of a sorcerer; and she wished him distinctly to understand this.

Mr. Lyon was in a southern city when this letter came into his hands.  He was sitting at a table covered with various documents, to the contents of which he had been giving a long and earnest attention, when a servant brought in a number of letters from the post-office.  He selected from the package one post-marked Baltimore, and broke the seal in a hurried and rather nervous manner.  As he opened it, an enclosure fell upon the table.  It was superscribed with his name, in the delicate hand of a woman.  This was Fanny’s letter.

A careful observer would have seen more of selfish triumph in the gleam that shot across his face, than true love’s warm delight.  The glow faded into a look of anxiety as he commenced unfolding the letter, which he read with compressed lips.  A long breath, as if a state of suspense were relieved, followed the perusal.  Then he sat, for some moments, very still, and lost in thought.

“We’ll see about that,” he murmured at length, laying the letter of Fanny aside, and taking up sundry other letters which had come by the same mail.  For more than an hour these engrossed his attention.  Two of them, one from Mr. Markland, were answered during the time.

“Now, sweetheart,” he said, almost lightly, as he took Fanny’s letter from the table.  Every word was read over again, his brows gradually contracting as he proceeded.

“There is some spirit about the girl; more than I had thought.  My going back was a foolish blunder.  But the best will have to be made of it.  Not a whisper must come to Mr. Markland.  That is a settled point.  But how is the girl to be managed?”

Lyon mused for a long time.

“Dear child!” He now spoke with a tender expression.  “I have laid too heavy a weight on your young heart, and I wish it were in my power to remove it; but it is not.”

He took a pen, as he said this, and commenced writing an answer to Fanny’s letter:—­

“Dearest one:—­Tell all to your mother; but, in doing so, let it be clearly in your mind that an eternal separation between us must follow as a consequence.  I do not say this as a threat—­ah, no!  Nor are you to understand that I will be offended.  No—­no—­no—­nothing of this.  I only speak of what must come as the sure result.  The moment your father learns that I was at Woodbine Lodge, and had an interview with his daughter, at a time when he thought me far distant, our business and personal relations must cease.  He will misjudge me from evidence to his mind powerfully conclusive; and I shall be unable to disabuse him of error, because appearances are against me.  But I put you in entire freedom.  Go to your mother-confide to her every thing; and, if it be possible, get back the peace of which my coming unhappily robbed you.  Think not of any consequences to me—­fatal though they should prove.  The wide world is before me still.