It was with no exclamation of joy, but with a cry of something nearer akin to agony, that the planter turned and beheld his only daughter. "Cora!" he exclaimed; "Cora, you here!" "Yes, dearest father. I know--I know that it is against your commands that I have come, but I felt that it could not be against your wishes." Gerald Leslie's head dropped upon his breast with a gesture of despair. "It needed but this," he murmured, "to complete my ruin." These words were uttered in a voice so low as to escape the ear of Cora; but she could still perceive that her coming had not given her father the pleasure she had fondly hoped to have seen written in his face, when he first beheld her. "Father, father," she cried, piteously, clasping her arms about his neck, and gently drawing round his head, so as to be able to look in his face; "father, can it be that you do not love me?" "Not love you, Cora, my darling, my darling!" Clasping his child to his breast, Gerald Leslie burst into a passion of sobs. This was her welcome home. CHAPTER V. A FAMILY PARTY. Let us turn from the residence of Cora's father to the splendid mansion inhabited by the wealthy young planter, Augustus Horton, in one of the best streets of New Orleans. It is upward of a week after the arrival of Mrs. Montresor with her two fair charges. It is a bright summer morning, and the family party are assembled in an elegantly furnished apartment opening into a cool veranda, filled with exotic plants. Mrs. Montresor, who, even in that warm climate, is too energetic to be idle, is seated at her embroidery. Her nephew, Augustus, lolls in an easy-chair, reading the New Orleans papers, while Adelaide Horton reclines in a hammock near the open window. Mortimer Percy, with his hands in the pockets of his light trousers, and a cigar in his mouth, leans against the window, talking to his cousin. "Say what you will, Mortimer, it is most extraordinary that Cora should not have called here since our return," exclaims Adelaide. "But do I not tell you, my dear cousin," answered the young man, "that Mr. Leslie has taken his daughter to his country seat upon the plantation?" "What of that?" replied Adelaide. "Mr. Leslie's villa is but half an hour's drive from New Orleans. Nothing could have been easier than for him to have brought Cora here." At this moment a female slave entered, announcing Mr. Craig. "Show him in," said Augustus, without raising his eyes from the newspaper he was reading. "Silas Craig!" exclaimed Mortimer, with a shudder of disgust. "What in Heaven's name induces you to encourage the acquaintance of that man, Augustus?" "Pshaw, Mortimer, I have none of your romantic notions. Mr. Craig is a very respectable member of society."