er with--"Delighted to see you, Miss
Clapperton; a ball-room never appears to me properly arranged till it
is graced by your presence: here's my friend, the Hon. George Lawless,
dying to be introduced to you".

"Pleasure--ar--dancing--with you, eh?" muttered the Hon. George, giving
a little quick nod between each word, and getting very red in the face.

The young lady smiled a gracious assent, and saying, "I think they
are forming a quadrille--shall we take our places?" marched him off in
triumph.

"Frank, are you provided; or can I do anything for you?" inquired
Coleman.

"Who is that interesting-looking girl, with dark hair?" asked I, in
return.

"What, the she-male with the white camellia in her head, leaning on the
arm of that old fellow with a cast-iron face? What a splendid pair
of eyes she has got! I'll rind out her name, and get you introduced,"
replied Coleman, disappearing in the crowd. In a minute or two he
returned, and informed me that the young lady's name was Saville.
"You've not made such a bad hit either," continued he; "they tell me
she's to be a great heiress, and old Ironsides there is her guardian.
They say he keeps her shut up so close that nobody can see her; he would
hardly let her come to-night, only he's under some business obligations
to my governor, and he persuaded him to bring her, in order to give me a
chance, I suppose."

"What an expression of sadness there is in those deep blue eyes of hers!
I am afraid she is not happy, poor thing!" said I, half thinking aloud.

"Why, you're getting quite romantic about it!" returned Coleman; "for
my part, I think she looks rather jolly than otherwise;--see how she's
laughing with my cousin Lucy; by Jove, how her face lights up when
~121~~she smiles!--she's very decidedly pretty. Well, will you be
introduced?--they are going to waltz."

I signified my assent, and Coleman set off in search of his father to
perform the ceremony, not having courage enough himself to face "old
Stiff-back," as he irreverently termed the young lady's guardian.

"I am sorry to refuse your young friend, Mr. Coleman," was the reply to
my introduction; "but Miss Saville never waltzes."

"Come, don't be crabbed, Vernor; young people ought to enjoy themselves;
recollect, we were young ourselves once!"

"If old Time had dealt as leniently by me as he seems to have done by
you, Coleman, I should consider myself young yet," replied Mr. Vernor.
"I believe I have spoken m