where he found a very brilliant party already
in progress. The house was chiefly a legal and political one,
although there seemed to be a fair leaven of literary and artistic
celebrities among the more solid reputations; and for some time he
was engrossed by various of his Parliamentary acquaintances, who
questioned and encouraged him. Two or three had newly arrived from
the House, where an important division had just been declared; and
Charles listened with some impatience to their account of it, gazing
absently, over their heads, at the maze of pretty toilettes, which
made an agreeable _frou-frou_ over the polished floor, although the
debate had been upon a question in which he was warmly interested.

He escaped from them at last with a murmured apology, an intimation
that he wished to find somebody, and made his way slowly into the
adjoining room, from which the strains of waltz music floated in,
and where they danced. His friends found his demeanour noticeable,
and were inclined to wonder with some amusement, knowing his
habitual equanimity, that the vacancy at North Mallow should have
undermined it. When he entered the ball-room he stopped for a
moment, flushing a little. The first person he had seen, between the
heads of the floating couples, was Lady Garnett, on a little raised
seat at the further end of the large room, engaged in an animated
conversation with an ambassador. He realized quickly that she would
not have come alone.

He waited until the music ceased and the dispersal of the dancers
made the passage of the floor practicable, then he set off in her
direction, trusting that he might find her niece in the vicinity.
Halfway down he stopped again; he had recognised his sister, who
fanned herself languidly, seated on one of two chairs partially
concealed by a great mass of exotic shrubbery, in pots, which formed
almost an alcove. She removed her long soft skirt, which she had
thrown over the vacant seat, as he approached; and at this tacit
invitation he accepted it.

"Only until the rightful owner comes," he explained. "But I see you
so seldom now that I must not lose this chance. I suppose you are
keeping it for someone?"

"It is for Miss Masters," said Mrs. Lightmark; "but she won't want
it yet. She has just gone down to supper."

"Ah, so much the better. I want to see her."

"Do you?" she asked indifferently. "Well, you had better keep me
company until she comes. It is a long time since I saw yo