pardon. I was very thoughtless!"

"And you don't think the worse of me, because I loved your mother, and
because I can't tell you?" said Peter, in a dangerous tone.

"No," said Leonore, but she rose. "Now we'll go back to the dancing."

"One moment," begged Peter.

But Leonore was already in the full light blazing from the room. "Are
you coming?" she said.

"May I have this waltz?" said Peter, trying to get half a loaf.

"No," said Leonore, "it's promised to Mr. Rutgers."

Just then mine host came up and said. "I congratulate you, Mr.
Stirling."

Peter wanted to kick him, but he didn't.

"I congratulate you," said another man.

"On what?" Peter saw no cause for congratulation, only for sorrow.

"Oh, Peter," said Dorothy, sailing up at this junction, "how nice! And
such a surprise!"

"Why, haven't you heard?" said mine host.

"Oh," cried Leonore, "is it about the Convention?"

"Yes," said a man. "Manners is in from the club and tells us that a
despatch says your name was sprung on the Convention at nine, and that
you were chosen by acclamation without a single ballot being taken.
Every one's thunderstruck."

"Oh, no," said a small voice, fairly bristling with importance, "I knew
all about it."

Every one laughed at this, except Dorothy. Dorothy had a suspicion that
it was true. But she didn't say so. She sniffed visibly, and said,
"Nonsense. As if Peter would tell you secrets. Come, Peter, I want to
take you over and let Miss Biddle congratulate you."

"Peter has just asked me for this waltz," said Leonore. "Oh, Mr.
Rutgers, I'm so sorry, I'm going to dance this with Mr. Stirling."

And then Peter felt he was to be congratulated.

"I shan't marry him myself," thought Leonore, "but I won't have my
friends married off right under my nose, and you can try all you want,
Mrs. Rivington."

So Peter's guardianship was apparently bearing fruit. Yet man to this
day holds woman to be the weaker vessel!

CHAPTER LIV.

OBSTINACY.

The next morning Peter found that his prayer for a rainy day had been
answered, and came down to breakfast in the pleasantest of humors.

"See how joyful his future Excellency looks already," said Watts,
promptly recalling Peter to the serious part of life. And fortunately
too, for from that moment, the time which he had hoped to have alone (if
_two_ ever can be alone), began to be pilfered from him. Hardly were
they seated at breakfast when Pell dropped in to congrat