the guest whatever delicacy or dainty he or she might demand; and
light-footed waiters circulated with noiseless obsequiousness through
all the rooms, proffering dainties on silver trays.

Mrs. Van Astrachan and Rose at first found themselves walking
everywhere, with a fresh and lively interest. It was something quite
out of the line of the good lady's previous experience, and so
different from any thing she had ever seen before, as to keep her in a
state of placid astonishment. Rose, on the other hand, was delighted
and excited; the more so that she could not help perceiving that she
herself amid all these objects of beauty was followed by the admiring
glances of many eyes.

It is not to be supposed that a girl so handsome as Rose comes to her
twentieth year without having the pretty secret made known to her
in more ways than one, or that thus made known it is any thing but
agreeable; but, on the present occasion, there was a buzz of inquiry
and a crowd of applicants about her; and her dancing-list seemed in
a fair way to be soon filled up for the evening, Harry telling
her laughingly that he would let her off from every thing but the
"German;" but that she might consider her engagement with him as a
standing one whenever troubled with an application which for any
reason she did not wish to accept.

Harry assumed towards Rose that air of brotherly guardianship which a
young man who piques himself on having seen a good deal of the world
likes to take with a pretty girl who knows less of it. Besides, he
rather valued himself on having brought to the reception the most
brilliant girl of the evening.

Our friend Lillie, however, was in her own way as entrancingly
beautiful this evening as the most perfect mortal flesh and blood
could be made; and Harry went back to her when Rose went off with her
partners as a moth flies to a candle, not with any express intention
of burning his wings, but simply because he likes to be dazzled,
and likes the bitter excitement. He felt now that he had power over
her,--a bad, a dangerous power he knew, with what of conscience was
left in him; but he thought, "Let her take her own risk." And so, many
busy gossips saw the handsome young man, his great dark eyes kindled
with an evil light, whirling in dizzy mazes with this cloud of flossy
mist; out of which looked up to him an impassioned woman's face, and
eyes that said what those eyes had no right to say.

There are times, in such scen