h
misfortunes conspired to prevent me from securing earlier in the
evening?"

He drew her hand under his arm, and his eyes ran with proprietorial
freedom over the details of her costume, pale blue satin, creamy foam
of white lace, soft sheen of large pearls, and bouquet of exquisite
half blown La France roses.

Since their betrothal, he had claimed the privilege of sending the
flowers she wore, on special occasions, and she had invariably
expressed her appreciation through the dainty lips of a boutonniere
arranged by her own fingers. Now while he recognized the roses resting
on her corsage, her eyes dwelt on her favorite double lilac violets,
nestling in the buttonhole of his coat.

"You were very late to-night. I loitered in ambush about the precincts
of the dressing-room, hoping for the pleasure of conducting you
down-stairs; but 'the best laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft
aglee', and I became the luckless prey of similar tactics. That
marauding Tomyris, Mrs. Halsey, sallied out at the head of her column
of daughters, espied me lurking behind the portiere, and proclaiming
her embarras de richesse, 'paid me the compliment' of consigning one
fair campaigner, Miss Eloise Hermione, to my care. Fancy the strain on
courtesy, as I accepted my 'quite unexpected good fortune'!"

He spoke with a nervous rapidity, at variance with his usual
imperturbable deliberateness of manner, and she thought she had never
seen his eyes so restless and brilliant.

"I was unusually late, owing to the fact that the Governor and staff
dined with Uncle Mitchell, and they lingered so long over their cigars
and wine, that I was delayed in the drawing-room, waiting for them;
consequently was very late in changing my dress. We were sorry you were
prevented from joining us. Uncle pronounced the dinner a perfect
success; and certainly Governor Glenbeigh was in his happiest mood, and
particularly agreeable."

"Given his hostess, and entourage, could he possibly have been less?
Rumor's hundred tongues wag with the announcement, that his Excellency
is no longer inconsolable for his wife's death; and desires to testify
to the happiness of conjugal relations, by a renewal of the sweet
bondage; a curiously subtile compliment to the deceased. If I may be
pardoned the enormity of the heresy, I think Shakspeare blundered
supremely, when he gave Iago's soul to a man. Diabolical cunning,
shrewd malevolence pure and simple, armed with myriads of stings