eaking rapidly with an imploring
accent. She saw him, with an angry frown, push Lillie from him
so rudely that she almost fell backward, and sat down with her
handkerchief to her eyes; he came forward hurriedly, and met the eyes
of Rose fixed upon him.

[Illustration: "She saw him, with an angry frown, push Lillie from
him."]

"Mr. Endicott," she said, "I have to ask a favor of you. Will you
be so good as to excuse me from the 'German' to-night, and order my
carriage?"

"Why, Miss Ferguson, what is the matter?" he said: "what has come over
you? I hope I have not had the misfortune to do any thing to displease
you?"

Without replying to this, Rose answered, "I feel very unwell. My head
is aching violently, and I cannot go through the rest of the evening.
I must go home at once." She spoke it in a decided tone that admitted
of no question.

Without answer, Harry Endicott gave her his arm, accompanied her
through the final leave-takings, went with her to the carriage, put
her in, and sprang in after her.

Rose sank back on her seat, and remained perfectly silent; and Harry,
after a few remarks of his had failed to elicit a reply, rode by her
side equally silent through the streets homeward.

He had Mr. Van Astrachan's latch-key; and, when the carriage stopped,
he helped Rose to alight, and went up the steps of the house.

"Miss Ferguson," he said abruptly, "I have something I want to say to
you."

"Not now, not to-night," said Rose, hurriedly. "I am too tired; and it
is too late."

"To-morrow then," he said: "I shall call when you will have had time
to be rested. Good-night!"

CHAPTER XXII.

_THE SPIDER-WEB BROKEN_.

Harry did not go back, to lead the "German," as he had been engaged to
do. In fact, in his last apologies to Mrs. Follingsbee, he had excused
himself on account of his partner's sudden indisposition,--thing which
made no small buzz and commotion; though the missing gap, like all
gaps great and little in human society, soon found somebody to step
into it: and the dance went on just as gayly as if they had been
there.

Meanwhile, there were in this good city of New York a couple of
sleepless individuals, revolving many things uneasily during the
night-watches, or at least that portion of the night-watches that
remained after they reached home,--to wit, Mr. Harry Endicott and Miss
Rose Ferguson.

What had taken place in that little scene between Lillie and Harry,
the termination of