d.

"I couldn't very easily stay away," he replied, sitting down beside her.

"Why, how funny! And why not?" she inquired, trying to suppress a blush.

"The evening promised to be such an enjoyable one," he answered; "and
yet I hardly dared to anticipate such good fortune as I have met with
thus far."

"Oh, Fred, you are learning to flatter, I do believe! I didn't think
that of you."

"If flattery is saying what one truly means, then I am flattering you;
for if I had arranged my own program, you and I would occupy about the
same positions as we do now. It couldn't suit me better, and I only hope
you are as well pleased," he added.

"I believe you and Grace arranged this together," she answered
evasively, "without saying anything to me. I must scold her;" and she
partially covered her face with her fan, which seemed to mean that she
was well satisfied.

"I am sure I had nothing to do with the arrangement. I must thank Grace
for it, and I hope you won't scold her very hard, as this is her
birthday; but before it is too late let me ask you if you will favor me
with the first dance?"

"Oh, with pleasure," she replied, but at the same time she wondered if
he knew the dance. She had never heard of his dancing, but the first
part of the opening one was to be a march, and she knew he could take
part in that, even if they had to drop out of the waltz later on.

"Good evening, Nellie," said Matthew, who now came up and extended his
hand, adding, with an air of assurance, "I see the music is ready to
start, shall we not lead the march?"

"Thank you, but I am already engaged for that," she returned, casting
her eyes towards Fred.

"Then you won't march with me?" he asked, flushing with evident anger at
the rebuff.

"I must keep my engagement," she replied.

"Keep your engagement with a _stick_," he rejoined, and walked away with
a look of contempt on his face.

The last remark made young Worthington's blood boil, but he had the good
sense to take no apparent notice of it, though he fixed it well in his
memory for future use.

De Vere seated himself in a remote corner--the place he had expected to
see Fred occupy--and looked sullenly on as the march progressed, but
evidently with some degree of pleasure at the utter failure he felt sure
our hero would make. In this again he was doomed to disappointment; for
to his surprise and chagrin he found his rival quite at home in the
waltz. He and Nellie were unmistakably