urn," said Mac, relinquishing her fan with a glance of
such sympathetic significance that a quick flush of feeling rose to the
girl's face as she answered very low, "If honesty was all I wanted, I
certainly have found it in you."

Then she went away with Charlie, who was waiting for his turn, and Mac
roamed about, wondering if anywhere in all that crowd his future wife
was hidden, saying to himself, as he glanced from face to face, quite
unresponsive to the various allurements displayed,

"What care I how fair she be,
If she be not fair for me?"

Just before supper several young ladies met in the dressing room to
repair damages and, being friends, they fell into discourse as they
smoothed their locks and had their tattered furbelows sewed or pinned up
by the neat-handed Phillis-in-waiting.

When each had asked the other, "How do I look tonight, dear?" and been
answered with reciprocal enthusiasm, "Perfectly lovely, darling!" Kitty
said to Rose, who was helping her to restore order out of the chaos to
which much exercise had reduced her curls: "By the way, young Randal is
dying to be presented to you. May I after supper?"

"No, thank you," answered Rose very decidedly.

"Well, I'm sure I don't see why not," began Kitty, looking displeased
but not surprised.

"I think you do, else why didn't you present him when he asked? You
seldom stop to think of etiquette why did you now?"

"I didn't like to do it till I had you are so particular I thought you'd
say 'no,' but I couldn't tell him so," stammered Kitty, feeling that she
had better have settled the matter herself, for Rose was very particular
and had especial reason to dislike this person because he was not only a
dissipated young reprobate himself but seemed possessed of Satan to lead
others astray likewise.

"I don't wish to be rude, dear, but I really must decline, for I cannot
know such people, even though I meet them here," said Rose, remembering
Charlie's revelations on New Year's night and hardening her heart
against the man who had been his undoing on that as well as on other
occasions, she had reason to believe.

"I couldn't help it! Old Mr. Randal and Papa are friends, and though I
spoke of it, brother Alf wouldn't hear of passing that bad boy over,"
explained Kitty eagerly.

"Yet Alf forbade you driving or skating with him, for he knows better
than we how unfit he is to come among us."

"I'd drop him tomorrow if I could, but I must be civ