her proposed that she resume her former seat, "for," said he,
"you look quite as warm and red where you are."

"The nearest I ever knew him come to any thing witty," whispered Ida,
from behind a fire screen. "I do believe you've rubbed up his ideas,
and I predict that you win him instead of Ella."

Mary did not even smile, for to her there was something revolting in
the idea of being even teased about Henry, who was conceited enough to
attribute her reserve to the awe which he fancied his "elegant
presence" inspired! If Ella with all her wealth and beauty placed an
invaluable estimate upon his attentions, why should not her
unpretending sister be equally in love with him? And the young dandy
stroked his mustache with his white fingers, and wondered what Ella
Campbell would say if she knew how much her sister admired him, and
how very nearly his admiration was returned!

At length William arose to go, and advancing towards Mary, he took her
hand, saying in a low tone with marked emphasis on the word _sister_,
"I find my sister greatly changed and improved since I last saw her."

"And you too are changed," returned Mary, her eyes filling with tears,
for William's manner was not as of old.

"Yes, in more respects than one," said he, "but I shall see you again.
Do you attend Mrs. Russell's party?"

Mary replied in the affirmative, and the next moment he was gone. Half
an hour after, Henry, too, departed, saying to Mary as he went out,
"You musn't fail to be at Mrs. Russell's, for I shall only go for the
sake of seeing you.--Truth, upon my honor, what little I have," he
continued, as Mary's eyes flashed forth her entire disbelief of what
he said. "I am in earnest now, if I never was before."

Ida laughed aloud at the mystified picture which Mary's face presented
as the door closed upon Henry. "You are too much of a novice to see
through every thing, but you'll learn in time that opinions frequently
change with circumstances," said she.

That night in his chamber, with his heels upon the marble mantel, and
his box of cigars and bottle of brandy at his side, the man of fashion
soliloquized as follows: "Zounds! How that girl has improved. Never
saw the like in my life.--Talk about family and rank, and all that
stuff. Why, there isn't a lady in Boston that begins to have the _air
distingue_ which Mary Howard has. Of course she'll be all the go.
Every thing the Seldens take up is. Ain't I glad Moreland is in New
Orleans;