were my servants, at
Magnolia; and Preston had never associated with me on just the footing
of equality. I went upstairs thinking that I should like to see a
great deal more of Mr. Thorold.

Mrs. Sandford was on the piazza when I came down, and alone; everybody
was gone to parade. She gave me a little billet.

"Well, my dear Daisy!--are you walked to death? Certainly, West Point
agrees with you! What a colour! And what a change! You are not the
same creature that we brought away from New York. Well, was it worth
going for, all the way to see that old ruin? My dear! I wish your
father and mother could see you."

I stood still, wishing they could.

"There is more pleasure for you," Mrs. Sandford went on.

"What is this, ma'am?"

"An invitation. The cadets have little parties for dancing, it seems,
three times a week, in summer; poor fellows! it is all the recreation
they get, I suspect; and of course, they want all the ladies that can
be drummed up, to help them to dance. It's quite a charity, they tell
me. I expect I shall have to dance myself."

I looked at the note, and stood mute, thinking what I should do. Ever
since Mr. Thorold had mentioned it, up on the hill, the question had been
recurring to me. I had never been to a party in my life, since my
childish days at Melbourne. Aunt Gary's parties at Magnolia had been of
a different kind from this; not assemblies of young people. At Mme.
Ricard's I had taken dancing lessons, at my mother's order; and in her
drawing room I had danced quadrilles and waltzes with my schoolfellows;
but Mme. Ricard was very particular, and nobody else was ever admitted. I
hardly knew what it was to which I was now invited. To dance with the
cadets! I knew only three of them; however, I supposed that I might dance
with those three. I had an impression that amusements of this kind were
rather found in the houses of the gay than the sober-minded; but this was
peculiar, to help the cadets' dance, Mrs. Sandford said. I thought Mr.
Thorold wished I would come. I wondered Preston had not mentioned it. He,
I knew, was very fond of dancing. I mused till the people came back from
parade and we were called to tea; but all my musings went no further. I
did not decide _not_ to go.

"Now, Daisy," said Mrs. Sandford the next morning, "if you are going
to the hop to-night, I don't intend to have you out in the sun burning
yourself up. It will be terribly hot; and you must keep quiet. I am so
tha