"The steamer sails in three days, and I will write again before that time, sending it by Mr. Ray, who is to stop over one train at Linwood. Wilford has just come in and says I have written enough for now, but I will tell you how he has bought me a diamond pin and earrings, which Esther, who knows the value of everything, says never cost less than five hundred dollars.
"Yours, loving, KATY CAMERON."
"Five hundred dollars!" and Aunt Betsy held up her hands in horror, while Helen sat a long time with the letter in her hand, cogitating upon its contents, and especially upon the part referring to herself, and what Mark Ray said of her.
Every human heart is susceptible of flattery, and Helen was not an entire exception. Still with her ideas of city men she could not at once think favorably of Mark Ray, just for a few complimentary words which might or might not have been in earnest, and she found herself looking forward with nervous dread to the time when he would stop at Linwood, and of course call on her, as he would bring a letter from Katy.
Very sadly to the inmates of the farmhouse rose the morning of the day when Katy was to sail, and as if they could really see the tall masts of the vessel which was to bear her away, the eyes of the whole family were turned often to the eastward with a wistful, anxious gaze, while on their lips and in their hearts were earnest prayers for the safety of that ship and the precious freight it bore. But hours, however sad, will wear themselves away, and so the day went on, succeeded by the night, until that too had passed and another day had come, the second of Katy's ocean life. At the farmhouse the work was all done up, and Helen in her neat gingham dress, with her bands of brown hair bound about her head, sat listlessly at her sewing, when she was startled by the sound of wheels, and looking up saw the boy employed to carry packages from the express office, driving to their door with a trunk, which he said had come that morning from Boston.
In some surprise Helen hastened to unlock it with the key which she found appended to it. The trunk was full, and over the whole a linen towel was folded, while on the top of that lay a letter in Katy's handwriting, directed to Helen, who, sitting down upon the floor, broke the seal and read aloud as follows: "BOSTON, June--, Revere House, "Nearly midnight.