ly. "I feel some doubt," he said, laughing,
"whether we have been properly introduced to one another or not."

"Not properly introduced!" cried Major Mulvany. "I'll soon set that
right. My dear friend, Percy Linwood; my dear friend, Arthur Bervie--be
known to each other! esteem each other!"

Captain Bervie acknowledged the introduction by a cold salute. Percy,
yielding to the good-natured impulse of the moment, alluded to what had
happened in Doctor Lagarde's consulting-room.

"You missed something worth hearing when you left the Doctor the other
night," he said. "We continued the sitting; and _you_ turned up again
among the persons of the drama, in a new character--"

"Excuse me for interrupting you," said Captain Bervie. "I am a member
of the committee, charged with the arrangements of the ball, and I must
really attend to my duties."

He withdrew without waiting for a reply. Percy looked round wonderingly
at Major Mulvany. "Strange!" he said, "I feel rather attracted toward
Captain Bervie; and he seems to have taken such a dislike to me that he
can hardly behave with common civility. What does it mean?"

"I'll tell you," answered the Major, confidentially. "Arthur Bervie is
madly in love--madly is really the word--with a Miss Bowmore. And (this
is between ourselves) the young lady doesn't feel it quite in the same
way. A sweet girl; I've often had her on my knee when she was a child.
Her father and mother are old friends of mine. She is coming to the ball
to-night. That's the true reason why Arthur left you just now. Look at
him--waiting to be the first to speak to her. If he could have his way,
he wouldn't let another man come near the poor girl all through the
evening; he really persecutes her. I'll introduce you to Miss Bowmore;
and you will see how he looks at us for presuming to approach her. It's
a great pity; she will never marry him. Arthur Bervie is a man in a
thousand; but he's fast becoming a perfect bear under the strain on his
temper. What's the matter? You don't seem to be listening to me."

This last remark was perfectly justified. In telling the Captain's
love-story, Major Mulvany had revived his young friend's memory of the
lady in the blue dress, who had haunted the visions of Doctor Lagarde.

"Tell me," said Percy, "what is Miss Bowmore like? Is there anything
remarkable in her personal appearance? I have a reason for asking."

As he spoke, there arose among the guests in the rapidly-fillin