ith ludicrous dismay at the rents in his once
spotless gloves. "I thought it all tip-top."

"Splendid," replied Nellie decidedly; "and you really managed to get
through the figures wonderfully well."

The boy's amazed countenance was amusing.

"I managed to get through the figures wonderfully well!" he reiterated
in astonishment. "Why, Nellie, I am an accomplished dancer" (with mock
solemnity), "and have been so since the days when I was a little thing.
You should see me at the Highland fling and sword-dance. My eye! I go
at them well," and Dick's legs began to shuffle about as if they
desired to commence the performance.

Nellie laughed. "Forgive me," she said pleasantly. "I did not mean
any disparagement; only boys, as a rule, do not care about dancing, and
you seemed somehow to enjoy it all so thoroughly."

"That I did" (with emphasis), "but--hallo, Archie! is it really you?"
as a boy passed his side at that moment. "Allow me to introduce you to
Miss Latimer.--Here, Nellie, is the very partner for you; he will dance
you off your feet in a few minutes," and Dick, hurrying away, left the
two young people regarding each other with looks of rather comical
dismay.

After that, the evening fled by all too quickly for Nellie, to whom
every moment was fraught with the purest pleasure. Dick saw she had no
lack of partners, and constituted himself her guardian for the night,
greatly to Mrs. Blake's annoyance and Winnie's satisfaction. The
former could find no means of laying any more commands on him, for the
boy mischievously eluded her every attempt to cross his path, and
failed most provokingly to catch her eye when a convenient season
presented itself for so doing. Nellie, with true appreciation of his
kindness, thanked him warmly in her innocent heart, and thought she had
never spent such a pleasant evening. There was never a cloud to darken
her enjoyment or dim the brightness of her happy face. Mrs. Blake's
studied avoidance passed by unnoticed, as also the haughty looks of
Winnie's elder sisters; and even Ada Irvine's calm, contemptuous face
failed to ruffle her joyous spirit.

Long years afterwards she liked to look back on that evening of
thorough, uninterrupted enjoyment, when she could say in all sincerity
and truth, "I was happy;" when she danced with what seemed to be winged
feet, and the smile of gladness was ever on her lips. Closing her eyes
softly, she could see it all again--the large holl