number.
You cannot think it was a pleasant task for me. But I have given up
things of much more importance than a dance for the sake of
appearances, and Hope herself will see to-morrow that I acted for the
best."

Clay said he trusted so, but doubted it, and by way of re-establishing
himself in Miss Langham's good favor, asked her if she could give him
the next dance. But Miss Langham was not to be propitiated.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but I believe I am engaged until supper-time.
Come and ask me then, and I'll have one saved for you. But there is
something you can do," she added. "I left my fan in the carriage--do
you think you could manage to get it for me without much trouble?"

"The carriage did not wait. I believe it was sent back," said Clay,
"but I can borrow a horse from one of Stuart's men, and ride back and
get it for you, if you like."

"How absurd!" laughed Miss Langham, but she looked pleased,
notwithstanding.

"Oh, not at all," Clay answered. He was smiling down at her in some
amusement, and was apparently much entertained at his idea. "Will you
consider it an act of devotion?" he asked.

There was so little of devotion, and so much more of mischief in his
eyes, that Miss Langham guessed he was only laughing at her, and shook
her head.

"You won't go," she said, turning away. She followed him with her
eyes, however, as he crossed the room, his head and shoulders towering
above the native men and women. She had never seen him so resplendent,
and she noted, with an eye that considered trifles, the orders, and his
well-fitting white gloves, and his manner of bowing in the Continental
fashion, holding his opera-hat on his thigh, as though his hand rested
on a sword. She noticed that the little Olanchoans stopped and looked
after him, as he pushed his way among them, and she could see that the
men were telling the women who he was. Sir Julian Pindar, the old
British Minister, stopped him, and she watched them as they laughed
together over the English war medals on the American's breast, which
Sir Julian touched with his finger. He called the French Minister and
his pretty wife to look, too, and they all laughed and talked together
in great spirits, and Miss Langham wondered if Clay was speaking in
French to them.

Miss Langham did not enjoy the ball; she felt injured and aggrieved,
and she assured herself that she had been hardly used.

She had only done her duty, and yet all the sympathy