rooms below, and was directly
on a line with her eyes when suddenly she beheld him for the first time
in more than two years.

"Fairy Prince! Fairy Prince!" cried her heart and faintly cried her
lips, and she knew it not when Master Clinton turned around from his
bass viol, thinking he heard a strange sound. But he heeded not the rapt
gaze of the maiden, for she sat quiet as any mousie while her eyes drank
in the vision of her Fairy Prince.

His thick hair was lightly powdered and curled at the ends. A coat of
blue velvet with silver braid and buttons of filagree,--or wrought
openwork silver buttons,--fitted as if moulded to his tall, erect young
figure. His waistcoat of cloth of gold had frills of rich lace at the
front, according to the general fashion of the day, and also at the
wrists. A flashing diamond on his finger sent out shoots of red, blue,
and yellow light.

He wore knee-breeches of blue velvet with bands of silver braid and
jewelled buckles at the knee. His long white silk stockings were
clocked, or embroidered at the sides, while high-heeled, glittering
dancing-pumps set off his highly arched feet.

Sally noted the grace with which he bowed to the ladies and the low
curtseys they returned. The ease and fine manners charmed her.

"They are born to it! born to it!" sighed the poor young maiden.

When the dancing began, she still sat entranced, watching chiefly one
tall, splendidly arrayed young man who kept perfect time to the music,
which rose and fell with a beauty of sound that brought tears to the
eyes of Maid Sally.

Master Sutcliff, seeing the intense delight on the face of the maiden,
said within himself:

"She shall remain until it cometh time to serve the syllabubs, the cream
froth and the nectars, then can she slip away without being seen."

It came all too soon, the pause in the merry dancing, for refreshments,
when Master Sutcliff said, kindly:

"Now then, young friend, I fear me the time has come when you had best
depart. I will go with you to the side door, so that none shall question
or trouble you."

As they passed a long room, he said, "Peep within a moment."

And Sally looked upon tables covered with all kinds of fancy dishes:
there were froths, foamy custards, jellies she could almost see through,
plum cakes, pound cakes, and the odor of strong, rich coffee, mingled
with the scent of flowers.

Colored servants were moving to and fro with the slow step of the
Southern waite