he bade her watch the arm in the
clouds.

Till the first figure was over for them he hardly spoke to her. "Tell
me," said he then, "why has nobody seen you since Saturday week
last?"

"I have been at home."

"Ah; but tell me the truth. Remember what we said as we
parted,--about being friends. One tells one's friend the real truth.
But I suppose you do not remember what we said?"

"I don't think I said anything, Mr. Rowan."

"Did you not? Then I must have been dreaming. I thought you promised
me your friendship." He paused for her answer, but she said nothing.
She could not declare to him that she would not be his friend. "But
you have not told me yet why it was that you remained at home.
Come;--answer me a fair question fairly. Had I offended you?" Again
she paused and made him no reply. It seemed to her that the room was
going round her, and that the music made her dizzy. If she told him
that he had not offended her would she not thereby justify him in
having called her Rachel?

"Then I did offend you?" said he.

"Oh, Mr. Rowan,--never mind now; you must go on with the figure," and
thus for a moment she was saved from her difficulty. When he had done
his work of dancing, she began hers, and as she placed both her hands
in his to make the final turn, she flattered herself that he would
not go back to the subject.

Nor did he while the quadrille lasted. As they continued to dance
he said very little to her, and before the last figure was over she
had almost settled down to enjoyment. He merely spoke a word or two
about Mrs. Cornbury's dress, and another word about the singular
arrangement of Mr. Griggs' jewellery, at which word she almost
laughed outright, and then a third word laudatory of the Tappitt
girls. "As for Cherry," said he "I'm quite in love with her for her
pure good-nature and hearty manners; and of all living female human
beings Martha is the most honest and just."

"Oh! I'll tell her that," said Rachel. "She will so like it."

"No, you mustn't. You mustn't repeat any of the things I tell you in
confidence." That word confidence again silenced her, and nothing
more was said till he had offered her his arm at the end of the
dance.

"Come away and have some negus on the stairs," he said. "The reason
I like these sort of parties is, that one is allowed to go into such
queer places. You see that little room with the door open. That's
where Mr. Tappitt keeps his old boots and the whip with which