"And will he not come down to say good-bye?" inquired Grace, indignantly.
"Oh, certainly! He will be here in a day or two."
"And how long is he going to stay abroad?"
"That seems uncertain. A year or two, probably, at the very least."
Grace stole a look at Kate, but Kate had drawn back into the shadow of the porch, and her face was not to be seen. Father Francis lingered for half an hour, and then departed; and as the dew was falling heavily, the group in the porch arose to go in. The young lady in the easy-chair did not stir.
"Come in, Kate," her father said, "it is too damp to remain there."
"Yes, papa, presently."
About a quarter of an hour later, she entered the parlour to say good-night, very pale, as they all noticed.
"I knew sitting in the night air was bad," her father said. "You are as white as a ghost."
Miss Danton was very grave and still for the next two days—a little sad, Grace thought. On the third day, Doctor Frank arrived. It was late in the afternoon, and he was to depart again early next morning.