m was warm. Emily acquiesced in the remark, for the
first time in her life conscious of a feeling she was ashamed to have
scrutinized, and glad of any excuse to hide her confusion.

"Grace Chatterton is really beautiful to-night," whispered John Moseley
to his sister Clara. "I have a mind to ask her to dance."

"Do, John." replied his sister, looking with pleasure on her beautiful
cousin, who, observing the movements of John as he drew near where she
sat, moved her face on each side rapidly, in search of some one who was
apparently not to be found. Her breathing became sensibly quicker, and
John was on the point of speaking to her as the dowager stepped in between
them. There is nothing so flattering to the vanity of a man as the
discovery of emotions in a young woman excited by himself, and which the
party evidently wishes to conceal; there is nothing so touching, so sure
to captivate; or, if it seem to be affected, so sure to disgust.

"Now, Mr. Moseley," cried the mother, "you shall not ask Grace to dance!
She can refuse you nothing, and she has been up the last two figures."

"Your wishes are irresistible, Lady Chatterton," said John, coolly turning
on his heel. On gaining the other side of the room, he turned to
reconnoitre the scene. The dowager was fanning herself as violently as if
_she_ had been up the last two figures instead of her daughter, while
Grace sat with her eyes fastened on the floor, paler than usual. "Grace,"
thought the young man, "would be very handsome--very sweet--very--very
everything that is agreeable, if--if it were not for Mother Chatterton."
He then led out one of the prettiest girls in the room.

Col. Egerton was peculiarly fitted to shine in a ball room. He danced
gracefully and with spirit; was perfectly at home with all the usages of
the best society, and was never neglectful of any of those little
courtesies which have their charm for the moment; and Jane Moseley, who
saw all those she loved around her, apparently as happy as herself, found
in her judgment or the convictions of her principles, no counterpoise
against the weight of such attractions, all centred as it were in one
effort to please herself. His flattery was deep for it was respectful--his
tastes were her tastes--his opinions her opinions. On the formation of
their acquaintance they differed on some trifling point of poetical
criticism, and for near a month the colonel had maintained his opinion
with a show of firmness;