sionally and ascertain if
they were attending to their duties, until everybody had arrived;
after which she was to come to her behind the scenes in the
carriage-house.

Thus, after her toilet was completed, she descended to the second
floor, to see that these orders were carried out.

In the ladies' dressing-rooms, she found everything in the nicest
possible order, and then passed on to those allotted to the gentlemen,
in one of which she found that the maids had neglected to provide
drinking water.

She was upon the point of leaving the room to have the matter attended
to, when Mr. Goddard, attired in full evening dress, even to gloves,
entered.

"Where is Mollie?" he inquired, but with a visible start of surprise,
as he noticed Edith's exceeding loveliness.

"I think she is in one of the other rooms," she replied. "Shall I call
her for you?"

"Yes, if you please; or--" with a lingering glance of
admiration--"perhaps you will help me with these gloves. I find it
troublesome to button them."

"Certainly," replied the young girl, but flushing beneath his look,
and, taking the silver button-hook from him, she proceeded to perform
the simple service for him, but noticed, while doing so, the taint of
liquor on his breath.

"Thank you," he said, appreciatively, when the last button was
fastened. Then bending lower to look into her eyes, he added, softly:
"How lovely you are to-night, Miss Edith!"

She drew herself away from him, with an air of offended dignity, and
would have passed from the room had he not placed himself directly in
her way, thus cutting off her escape.

"Nay, nay, pretty one; do not be so shy of me," he went on,
insinuatingly. "Why have you avoided me of late? We have not had one
of our cozy social chats for a long time. Did madam's unreasonable fit
of jealousy that day in the library frighten you? Pray, do not mind
her--she has always been like that ever since--well, for many years."

"Mr. Goddard! I beg you will cease. I cannot listen to you!" cried
Edith. "Let me pass, if you please. I have an order to give one of the
housemaids."

"Tut! tut! little one; the order can wait, and it is not kind of you
to fly at me like that. I have been drawn toward you ever since you
came into the family, and every day only serves to strengthen the
spell that you have been weaving about me. Come now, tell me that you
will try to return my fondness for you--"

"Mr. Goddard! what is the meaning of this s