're blown."

Some of the company laughed good-humoredly at the girlish gayety of the
scene. Others, among whom, it is sad to say, were many of the younger
ladies, made significant signs of being shocked by the indecorum, and
gathered in groups to canvass the papa's indifference and the daughter's
indelicacy. Meanwhile Cashel had been completely occupied with Lady
Kilgoff, making the usual inquiries regarding fatigue and rest, but in a
manner that bespoke all his interest in a favored guest.

"Are you aware to what high destiny the Fates have called you?" said he,
laughing. "Some attain fortune by being first to seek her,--_you_, on
the contrary, win by dallying. We had decided, a few moments before
you came in, that the first lady who entered should be the Queen of our
party,--this lot is yours."

"I beg to correct you, Mr. Cashel," cried Lady Janet, smartly; "Miss
Meek entered before her Ladyship."

"Oh, yes!" "Certainly!" "Without a doubt!" resounded from the whole
company, who were not sorry to confer their suffrages on the madcap girl
rather than the fashionable beauty.

"How distressing!" sighed Mr. Meek. "Oh, dear! I hope this is not
so,--nay, I 'm sure, Jemima, it cannot be the case."

"You're thinking of George Colman, Meek,--I see you are," cried Linton.

[Illustration: 026]

"No, indeed; no, upon my honor. What was it about Colman?"

"The story is everybody's story. The Prince insisted once that George
was his senior, and George only corrected himself of his mistake by
saying that 'he could not possibly have had the rudeness to enter the
world before his Royal Highness.'"

"Ah! yes--very true--so it was," sighed Meek, who-affected not to
perceive the covert sneer at his assumed courtesy.

While, therefore, the party gathered around Cashel, with eager assurance
of Miss Meek's precedence, Lady Kilgoff, rising, crossed the room
to where that young lady was standing, and gracefully arranging her
loose-flowing ringlets into a knot at the back of the head, fastened
them by a splendid comb which she took from her own, and whose top was
fashioned into a handsome coronet of gold, saying, "The question of
legitimacy is solved forever: the Pretender yields her crown to the true
Sovereign."

The gracefulness and tact of this sudden movement called forth the
warmest acknowledgments of all save Lady Janet, who whispered to Miss
Kenny feck, "It is pretty clear, I fancy, who is to pay for the crown
jewels!"