ere slender, dark-eyed,
dark-haired, red-cheeked lasses, dressed in the most brilliant of Scotch
plaids, with neatly crimped muslin ruffles around their throats and wrists
and amber necklaces and bracelets.

But Rosemary Hedge's dress was the quaintest costume that the law--of
society--allowed. It was a sage-green velvet, made out of one of Miss
Grandiere's own old-fashioned gowns, and decorated all around the bottom
of the skirt, the belt, the sleeves and the neck with crimson cypress
vines, blue forget-me-nots and yellow crocuses, worked by Miss Grandiere's
own fingers.

Rosemary wore no trinkets, her only ornament being her blue-black hair
curled in ringlets all around her pretty head.

When the visitors were ready to go down, Odalite conducted them to the
drawing room, where now, at one end, the negro musicians were seated on
chairs raised upon a long, broad bench, and were beginning to tune their
instruments, preparatory to playing up an inspiring quadrille tune.

As soon as Mrs. Anglesea saw the newcomers, she made a dash across the
room at them, and accosted them with effusion.

"So glad to see you all! And there's my gay, young sailor lad! Mind you,
Roland Bayard, I won't take you away from the young uns all the time,
because it is their party, but you must manage to give me half a dozen
dances during the evening," she said.

"With the greatest pleasure, Mrs. Anglesea," said the gallant tar, "though
I didn't know that you danced."

"Thought I was too large and heavy, eh? Well, I may be large, but I ain't
heavy! A balloon is large, but it is light! I am also large, but I am
light--on my feet! You shall see!"

"Well, will you give me the pleasure of your hand in this set?" he
inquired.

"You bet!" she replied, placing her plump, yellow-gloved hand in his.

He led her to the head of the quadrille that was just forming.

Miss Meeke and young Dr. Ingle, who had "just happened in and been
prevailed upon to stay," stood up together _vis-a-vis_ to the California
lady and her partner.

They were the head and foot couples. Ned Grandiere and Wynnette were on
the right, Sam Grandiere and Elva were on the left. This was the form of
the first set in the front half of the drawing room.

Mr. Force led Miss Grandiere to the head of another set at the back of the
long room. Leonidas took Miss Sibby--who adored dancing--to the foot.
Odalite stood with Erna Elk on the right hand, and Mrs. Force with Melly
Elk on the