wn toilet. He was
fashionably attired, neat as a new pin, and if not amiable, at least
exceedingly polite. He had leaning on his arm what he considered the
most beautiful creature in Scotland, and he assumed the manners of her
guardian with punctilious courtesy.

There was a large company present when the Vedders reached Mrs.
Brodie's--military men, a couple of naval officers, gentlemen of
influence, and traders of wealth and enterprise; with a full
complement of women "divinely tall and fair." Sunna made the sensation
among them she expected to make. There was a sudden pause in
conversation and every eye filled itself with her beauty. For just a
moment, it seemed as if there was no other person present.

Then Mrs. Brodie and Colonel Belton came to meet them, and Sunna was
left in the latter's charge. "Will you now dance, Miss Vedder?" he
asked.

"Let us first walk about a little, Colonel. I want to find my friend,
Thora Ragnor."

"I have long desired an introduction to Miss Ragnor. Is she not
lovely?"

"Yes, but now only for one man. A stranger came here last week, and
she was captured at once."

"How remarkable! I thought that kind of irresponsible love had gone
quite out of favour and fashion."

"Not so! This youth came, saw, and conquered."

"Is it the youth I see with Ken McLeod?"

"The same. Look! There they are, together as usual."

"She is very sweet and attractive."

Sunna answered this remark by asking Thora to honour Colonel Belton
with her company for a short time, saying: "In the interval I will
take care of Ian Macrae." Then Thora stood up in her innocence and
loveliness and she was like some creature of more ethereal nature than
goes with flesh and blood. For the eye took her in as a whole, and at
first noticed neither her face nor her dress in particular. Her dress
was only of white tarlatan, a thin, gauze-like material long out of
fashion. It is doubtful if any woman yet remembers its airy, fairy
sway, and graceful folds. The filmy robe, however, was plentifully
trimmed with white satin ribbon, and the waist was entirely of satin
trimmed with tarlatan. The whole effect was girlish and simple, and
Thora needed no other ornament but the pink and white daisies at her
belt.

However, if Sunna expected Thora's manner and conversation to match
the simplicity of her dress, she was disappointed. In Love's school
women learn with marvellous rapidity, and Thora astonished her by
falling readily