es. She stood still, clasped her hands, and gave Haward a
piteous look. Her face, for all its beauty and its painted roses, was
strangely the child's face that had lain upon his breast, where he knelt
amid the corn, in the valley between the hills, so long ago. He gave her
mute appeal no heed. The Governor's guests, passing from room to room,
crossed and recrossed the wide hall, and down the stairway, to meet a row
of gallants impatient at its foot, came fair women, one after the other,
the flower of the colony, clothed upon like the lilies of old. Haward,
entering with Audrey, saw Mr. Lee at the stairfoot, and, raising his eyes,
was aware of Evelyn descending alone and somewhat slowly, all in rose
color, and with a smile upon her lips.

She was esteemed the most beautiful woman in Virginia, the most graceful
and accomplished. Wit and charm and fortune were hers, and the little gay
world of Virginia had mated her with Mr. Marmaduke Haward of Fair View.
Therefore that portion of it that chanced to be in the hall of the
Governor's house withdrew for the moment its attention from its own
affairs, and bestowed it upon those of the lady descending the stairs, and
of the gold-and-white gentleman who, with a strange beauty at his side,
stood directly in her path. It was a very wise little world, and since
yesterday afternoon had been fairly bursting with its own knowledge. It
knew all about that gypsy who had come to town from Fair View
parish,--"La, my dear, just the servant of a minister!"--and knew to a
syllable what had passed in the violent quarrel to which Mr. Lee owed his
good fortune.

[Illustration: "I DO NOT THINK I HAVE THE HONOR OF KNOWING"--]

That triumphant gentleman now started forward, and, with a low bow,
extended his hand to lead to the ballroom this rose-colored paragon and
cynosure of all eyes. Evelyn smiled upon him, and gave him her scarf to
hold, but would not be hurried; must first speak to her old friend Mr.
Haward, and tell him that her father's foot could now bear the shoe, and
that he might appear before the ball was over. This done, she withdrew her
gaze, from Haward's strangely animated, vividly handsome countenance,
and turned it upon the figure at his side. "Pray present me!" she said
quickly. "I do not think I have the honor of knowing"--

Audrey raised her head, that had been bent, and looked again, as she had
looked yesterday, with all her innocent soul and heavy heart, into the
eyes of t