said
Augusta to her mother. Augusta had just refused the odious Griggs,
and was about to stand up with a clerk in the brewery, who was almost
as odious.

"It's because she came in the carriage," said Mrs. Tappitt; "but I
don't think she can waltz." Then she hurried off to welcome other
comers.

Rachel had hardly been left alone for a minute, and had been so much
bewildered by the lights and crowd and strangeness of everything
around her, that she had been unable to turn her thoughts to the one
subject on which during the last week her mind had rested constantly.
She had not even looked round the room for Luke Rowan. She had just
seen Mary Rowan in the crowd, but had not spoken to her. She had only
known her from the manner in which Cherry Tappitt had spoken to her,
and it must be explained that Rachel had not seen young Rowan since
that parting under the elm-trees. Indeed, since then she had seen
none of the Tappitt family. Her mother had said no word to her,
cautioning her that she had better not seek them in her evening
walks; but she had felt herself debarred from going into Baslehurst
by all that her sister had said, and in avoiding Luke Rowan she had
avoided the whole party from the brewery.

Now the room was partially cleared, the non-dancers being pressed
back into a border round the walls, and the music began. Rachel, with
her heart in her mouth, was claimed by her partner, and was carried
forward towards the ground for dancing, tacitly assenting to her fate
because she lacked words in which to explain to Mr. Cornbury how very
much she would have preferred to be left in obscurity behind the wall
of crinoline.

"Pray wait a minute or two," said she, almost panting.

"Oh, certainly. There's no hurry, only we'll stand where we can get
our place when we like it. You need not be a bit afraid of going on
with me. Patty has told me all about it, and we'll make it right in a
brace of turns." There was something very good-natured in his voice,
and she almost felt that she could ask him to let her sit down.

"I don't think I can," she said.

"Oh yes; come, we'll try!" Then he took her by the waist, and away
they went. Twice round the room he took her, very gently, as he
thought; but her head had gone from her instantly in a whirl of
amazement! Of her feet and their movements she had known nothing;
though she had followed the music with fair accuracy, she had done so
unconsciously, and when he allowed her to stop