hter. Good lack! my fortunes were
told long ago had I but bowed to her wishes; and at the moment,
Betty,--to let you into a profound secret,--the most desirable husband
for me in her eyes is Captain Yorke."

"Indeed!" said Betty coldly, but Kitty was too engrossed in her own
discourse to notice.

"Not that he has such an idea, mind you; he loves to dance and jest
with me, as a score of others do. But, Betty, your confidence in Oliver
is well sustained so far, and it lightens my heart. Beside, there is no
one here who would be apt to recognize him except you and me; though for
the matter of that why Clarissa did not see and know his shadow at the
servants' dance I have not yet ceased to marvel."

"You forget that she had no knowledge of his presence in New York, and
Oliver has changed greatly since she saw him full three years ago."

"And now to grandma," said Kitty, releasing the latch of the door, which
she had held carefully in her hand since entering the room, as a
precaution against intruders; "and fare you well, Betty, till we meet at
the ball to-night."

All through that New Year day Betty's heart throbbed with excitement, as
a steady stream of visitors passed in and out of the mansion, where
Grandma Effingham and Clarissa bade welcome to old friends and young
ones, to stately gentlemen in small clothes and powdered queues, with a
fine selection of British officers, beginning with Sir Henry Clinton,
who arrived in great state and descended from his sleigh, with its
coal-black horses, accompanied by his aides, for the English commander
liked to conciliate the Tories of New York, and, as he was then making
secret preparations to accompany an expedition to South Carolina,
thought best to appear in public even more than usual.

"Mistress Betty," said Geoffrey Yorke, under cover of sipping a glass of
port wine which she had offered him, "I drink to your very good health;"
then softly, "I have not seen you for a week; have you been quite well
since the Christmas party?"

"Is it so long?"--willfully; "Clarissa said you called one day."

"Surely--to ask for you, and you never came inside the room."

"Because I was busy, sir," replied Betty. Then relenting as a swift
remembrance crossed her mind, "I was skating at the Collect, where I
went with Peter late in the day."

"Will you dance with me to-night at the ball--promise me all the dances
you can possibly spare?" and Geoffrey's voice took its most tender tone