n acceptance, and the Thornton and
Lorrimer households were borne forward just at present on a full tide of
victorious excitement. Even Molly felt herself obliged to enter into
the full spirit of the fun. Not a murmur of anxiety from her father and
mother in London reached her. Mrs. Lorrimer, in writing to Molly, had
assumed as cheerful a tone as possible; she had alluded to no possible
care, had hinted at no canker root of possible trouble. She had said, it
is true, that it was rather unlikely that she and the Squire would
return in time for the ball; but if this could not be managed, she hoped
the children would enjoy themselves to the full in their absence; and
finally, she said how heartily she rejoiced in the thought of their
having such a delightful time. Hester also forgot the small worrying
thought which came to her now and again about her father, in this week
of rush and pleasure. Hester was by nature a very quiet-mannered girl,
but she became nearly as lively now as Annie; she laughed, and joked,
and danced, and skipped until Mrs. Martin, who watched her from the
nursery window, began to shake her head gravely, and to say that such
mirth was not "fey" as she expressed it, and that it surely forbode a
season of gloom by-and-by.

Annie's high spirits being natural to her, no one specially noticed
them, and according to her custom, she put dull care aside and was as
lively as she looked.

It is true that she had been obliged to ignore Mrs. Willis's letter; it
is true that the ring was still being jealously guarded by that dreadful
Mrs. Myrtle, for Annie had not the courage to ask Mrs. Martin for it.
The whole situation was now quite plain; Mrs. Martin had never gone near
the pawnbroker's, but had lent Annie the money herself. Why she had
parted with the ring under these circumstances was a problem which poor
Annie could not attempt to fathom. All she could do now was to abide the
issue of events as patiently as possible. All her life long she had
found that, somehow or other, matters did right themselves for her, and
she trusted to her usual good luck on this occasion.

The preparations were almost all completed for the fancy ball by Monday
night. Nan's birthday would be on Wednesday. No second letter had
arrived from Sir John Thornton, and Hester wondered whether he would be
present on the birthday or not. The day was to be one long scene of
triumph for the young birthday queen. Annie and Hester both stole out