sappeared in the dusk behind some
scenery.

"When shall you be back in Strathaivron, Miss Honnor?" he asked.

"In the spring, I suppose, for the salmon-fishing," she made answer.

"You will be up there in the clear April days, by the side of that
beautiful river, and I shall be playing the mountebank here, among the
London gas and fog."

But at this moment the orchestra began the slow music that intimated the
resumption of the minuet, and this recalled him to his senses; he had
hurriedly to take leave of her, and then he went and rejoined Miss
Burgoyne, who merely said, "Well, that's a pretty trick!" as she gave
him her hand for the dance.

A still stranger thing, however, happened in the next scene, where the
gay young officer, the French prisoner of war, makes love to the
innkeeper's daughter. Estelle noticed with great surprise that not only
did Nina deliver the English maiden's retorts without any of the saucy
spirit that the situation demanded, but also that she was quite confused
about the words, stammering and hesitating, and getting through them in
the most perfunctory manner. At last, when the little Capitaine Crepin
says, "Bewitching maid, say you will fly with me!" Clara's reply is,
"You forget I am to be married to-morrow--see, here comes my betrothed;"
but Nina only got as far as "married to-morrow"--then she
paused--hesitated--she put her hand to her head as if everything had
gone from her brain--and at the same moment Estelle, with the most
admirable presence of mind, continued, "See, here comes your betrothed,"
thus giving the lover his cue. The dialogue now remained with Estelle
and this husband-elect, so that Nina had time to recover; and in the
trio that closes the scene she sang her part well enough. Directly they
had left the stage, Estelle ran to her friend.

"Nina, what was the matter?" she exclaimed.

"My head--" said Nina, pressing her hand against her forehead and
talking rather faintly--"I do not know--my head is giddy, Estelle--oh, I
wish it was all over!--I wish I was home!"

"You have very little more to do now, Nina!" Estelle said quickly to
her, in French. "Come, you must have courage, Nina--I will run and get
you my smelling-salts, and it will pass away--oh, you must make an
effort, Nina--would you let Miss Burgoyne see you break down--no, no,
indeed! You will be all right, Nina, I assure you--and I will tell the
prompter to be on the watch for you--oh, I wouldn't give way--befo