en, the militia band
playing Strauss's waltzes at the other, the scarlet and white flags
floating bravely over everybody in the breeze, and a hum of many voices
and a sound of merry laughter in every direction.

Mr. and Mrs. Miller, and Guy, the hero of the day, moved about amongst
the guests from group to group. Guy, it must be owned, looking
considerably bored. Beatrice, with her lover in attendance, looking
flushed and rosy with the many congratulations which the news of her
engagement called forth on every side; and the younger boys, home from
school for the occasion, getting in everybody's way, and directing their
main attention to the ices in the refreshment-tent. Such an afternoon
party, it was agreed, had not been held in Meadowshire within the memory
of man; but then, dear Mrs. Miller had such energy and such a real talent
for organization; and if the company _was_ a little mixed, why, of
course, she must recollect Mr. Miller's position, and how important it
was for him, with the prospect of a general election coming on, to make
himself thoroughly popular with all classes.

No one in all the gay crowd was more admired or more noticed than "the
bride," as she was still called, young Mrs. Kynaston. Helen had surpassed
herself in the elaboration of her toilette. The country dames and
damsels, in their somewhat dowdy home-made gowns, could scarcely remember
their manners, so eager were they to stare at the marvels of that
wondrous garment of sheeny satin, and soft, creamy gauze, sprinkled over
with absolute works of art in the shape of wreaths of many-hued
embroidered birds and flowers, with which the whole dress was cunningly
and dexterously adorned. It was a masterpiece of the great Worth; rich
without being gaudy, intricate without losing its general effect of
colour, and, above all, utterly and absolutely inimitable by the hands
of any meaner artist.

Mrs. Kynaston looked well; no one had ever seen her look better; there
was an unusual colour in her cheeks, an unusual glitter in her blue eyes,
that always seemed to be roving restlessly about her as though in search
of something even all the time she was saying her polite commonplaces in
answer to the pleasant and pretty speeches that she received on all sides
from men and women alike.

But through it all she never let Vera Nevill out of her sight; where Vera
moved, she moved also. When she walked across the lawn, Mrs. Kynaston
made some excuse to go in the