He was like the victim of the lottery mania, whose absorption in
contemplating the possibility of drawing the prize renders him quite
oblivious of the nine hundred and ninety-nine blank tickets.
Previous to Mrs. Slater's visit he had been quite content in his devotion
to an ideal mistress, for the reason that any nearer approach to her had
not occurred to him as a possibility. But now the suggestion that he
might see her face to face had so inflamed his imagination that it was
out of the question for him to regain his former serenity. He resolved
that, in case they should fail to hear from Mrs. Slater's friend, he
would set about finding Mrs. Legrand himself, or, failing that, would go
to some other medium. There would be no solace for the fever that had now
got into his blood, until experiment should justify his daring hope, or
prove it baseless.
However, the third day after Mrs. Slater's letter there came one from her
friend, Mrs. Rhinehart. She said that she had received a note from Mrs.
Slater, who had suddenly been called to Cincinnati, telling that Miss
Ludington desired the address of Mrs.
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