y ward's wishes upon this point; but, if it
would be more satisfactory to your friend to hear her decision from her
own lips I can have no objection.--Clara, my dear, this gentleman, Mr.
Fairlegh, does you the honour of wishing to waltz with you."

Thus accosted, Miss Saville raised her eyes to my face for a moment,
and, instantly casting them down again, coloured slightly, as she
replied: "If Mr. Fairlegh will excuse me, I had rather not waltz".

I could, of course, only bow in acquiescence, and was turning away, when
old Mr. Coleman stopped me with:--

"There, wait a minute, Mr. Fairlegh; my little niece, Lucy Markham, will
be only too glad to console you for your disappointment; she's never so
happy as when she's waltzing".

"If you are impertinent, uncle, I'll make you waltz with me till you're
quite tired, by way of punishment!" replied his niece, as she accepted
my proffered arm.

During a pause in the waltz I referred to the refusal just received, and
asked my partner (a lively little brunette, with very white teeth and a
bewitching smile) whether her friend Miss Saville were not somewhat of a
prude?

"Poor dear Clara--a prude?--oh no!" was the reply. "You mean because she
would not waltz, I suppose?"

I bowed my head in assent, and she continued:--

"I gave you credit for more penetration, Mr. Fairlegh; did you not see
it was all that horrible Mr. Vernor, her guardian?--he chose her not to
waltz; and she is too much afraid of him to dare to do anything he does
not approve;--he would hardly let her come here to-night, only Uncle
Coleman worried him into it".

~122~~"She is exceedingly pretty," remarked I; "there is something
peculiar in the expression of those beautiful blue eyes which
particularly pleases me; an earnest, trustful look, which--you will
laugh at what I am going to say--which I have never seen before, except
in the eyes of a dog!"

"Oh! I know so well what you mean," replied my partner; "I have observed
it often, but I never should have known how to express it. What a good
idea!"

"May I ask whether you are very intimate with her? Is she an old friend
of yours?"

"No, I never saw her till my uncle took this house; but Mr. Vernor
sometimes brings her with him when he drives over on business, and she
comes and sits with me while they are puzzling about their parchments. I
like her so much; she seems as agreeable and good as she is pretty."

"How is it," asked I, "that my friend Fredd