t Nan should not be
left neglected, and the dancing in this crowd was so much a matter of
experiment and accident, and the fact that she was introduced to one or
two partners who seemed no more expert than herself, was so reassuring,
that on the whole Nan was very much delighted in her demure way, and
that delight showed itself in her face and in her clear bright eyes.
Her hair was a little wild, and she had lost some of her
forget-me-nots, and there were one or two flying tags that had got
dissociated from the skirt of her dress; but was not that all part of
the play? Nan's cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were pleased and
bright; the only thing that troubled her in this whirl of excitement
was an occasional qualm about her mother. Had she not promised to keep
the poor mamma company? But a time would come, and then she would make
amends by being particularly affectionate.

The time did come. On consulting the programme Nan found opposite the
next dance a scrawl that might be made out to be 'F. H. King;' and then
she bethought herself of the young sailor. Well, he had left. That
was very opportune. She would devote the time of this dance to her
mother, and take her into the tea-room, and ask which of her old
friends she had met, and even offer to go home with her if she felt
fatigued.

'Mamma,' she said to Lady Beresford, 'don't you think I've done enough?
England can't expect you to do more than your duty, even with all those
flags overhead. Come away, and I will get you some tea, though what
would be better for you still would be some B. and S.'

'Nan, how dare you!' said her mother, angrily, and glancing round at
the same time. 'You may use such expressions, if you like, when you
are with your brother. Pray don't disgrace the whole family when you
are elsewhere.'

'Mamma, dear,' said Nan, contritely, 'it is madness, pure madness. The
excitement of my first ball has got into my brain----'

'Into your what?' said her mother, with a smile. Nan, and Nan alone,
could pacify her in a second.

At the same moment the band began again; and somehow Nan, looking up,
found before her some one who was no other than the young Lieutenant
she had met at the beginning of the evening. She was somewhat
bewildered by this Jack-in-the-box sort of appearance.

'I think you promised me this next dance, Miss Beresford,' said he. He
was a grave-looking young man for his years--a Corsican Brother--the
Ghost in _Hamlet_