ent eye, swept the crowd with
rapidly veering glance, till it concentrated its gaze on the dark
balloon which rose so mysteriously from the water. Suddenly from this
balloon was suspended the Stars and Stripes in colored lights. The crowd
cheered like mad, the boats whistled, and sent up rockets galore.

On went the programme. Bombs tested the strength of our wearied
ear-drums, fiery snakes sizzled through the air, big wheels spurted
brilliant marvels, and along the very edge of the lake, to the great
discomfort of the front rows of the stalls, a line of combustibles
behaved like gigantic footlights on a spree.

"David, who do you suppose that was with Mary?"

I had been up in the air with George Washington, surrounded by "First in
War, First in Peace, etc.," in letters of fire, and I was unwillingly
recalled to earth.

"Haven't the remotest idea. Hope she hasn't given Axworthy the slip."

"I'm only hoping that he has not given her the slip. I'd never have
brought her to the Fair if he hadn't agreed to look after her."

At that moment there was a surging of the mighty crowd, caused by a band
of college students pushing their way through, shoulder to shoulder,
singing one of their rousing ditties. Some people who had been standing
on their hired rolling chairs had narrow escapes from being flung upon
the shoulders of those in front. Some did not escape--Mary for
instance, who landed between us as if shot from a catapult.

"I knew I was going to fall, so I just jumped to where I seen you two,"
said she, with her customary calmness, and then she turned to assure her
escort of the gondola, who was anxiously elbowing his way to her, that
she was entirely unhurt.

Blushing prettily, she introduced the lad as "Mr. Tom Axworthy--cousin
of the Mr. Axworthy you know."

Mr. Tom talked to Mrs. Gemmell with the ease and assurance of ninety
rather than nineteen, while I exchanged a few words aside with the
maiden:

"Where is the Mr. Axworthy that we know?"

"He had some business to do in town to-night, so he left me in charge of
this cousin of his--just a lovely fellow!"

"Humph! Introduced you to any more of his relations?"

"Oh, yes--an uncle; quite an old bachelor, but lovely too!"

"And I suppose you've been round with the uncle as well."

"Not very much. He was to have taken me up in the balloon yesterday, but
the cyclone burst it."

"We're going home now, and I think you'd better say 'Good-night' to Mr.
Tom