t a treat! Well, we live
and learn; it will require a few extra glasses of champagne to get the
steam up to the necessary height, that's all. And there they are going
down to supper; that's glorious!" and away he bounded to secure Miss
Clapperton's arm, while I offered mine to the turbaned old lady, to
compensate for her late alarm.

After supper the dancing was resumed with fresh energy, the champagne
having produced its usual exhilarating effects upon the exhausted frames
of the dancers. Notwithstanding my former repulse, I made a successful
attempt to gain Miss Saville's hand for a quadrille, though I saw, or
fancied I saw, the scowl on Mr. Vernor's sour countenance grow deeper as
I led her away. My perseverance was not rewarded by any very interesting
results, for my partner, who was either distressingly shy, or acting
under constraint of some kind, made monosyllabic replies to every remark
I addressed to her, and appeared relieved when the termination of the
set enabled her to rejoin her grim protector.

"Of all the disagreeable faces I ever saw, Mr. Vernor's is the most
repulsive," said I to Coleman; "were I a believer in the power of the
'evil eye,' he is just the sort ~124~~of looking person I should imagine
would possess it. I am certain I have never met him before, and yet,
strange to say, there is something which appears familiar to me in his
expression, particularly when he frowns."

"He is a savage-looking old Guy," replied Freddy, "and bullies
that sweet girl shockingly, I can see. I should feel the greatest
satisfaction in punching his head for him, but I suppose it would be
hardly the correct thing on so short an acquaintance, and in my father's
house too; eh?"

"Not exactly," replied I, turning away with a smile.

When Lawless made his appearance after supper it was evident by his
flushed face, and a slight unsteadiness in his manner of walking, that
he had carried his intentions with regard to the champagne into effect;
and, heedless of my warning, he proceeded to lay violent siege to Miss
Clapperton, to induce her to waltz with him. I was watching them with
some little amusement, for the struggle in the young lady's mind between
her sense of the proper, and her desire to waltz with an Honourable, was
very apparent, when I was requested by Mrs. Coleman to go in search of a
cloak appertaining to the turbaned old lady whom I had escorted down to
supper, and who, being delicate in some way or other,