ng time to
equal. You will find a locket inside which I wore when your father was
married. I shall never use such frippery again, and you might as well
have them now as when I am dead."

Knowing that she meant to be gracious, I thanked her warmly. But having
doubts regarding her taste, I abstained from opening the package
until I reached home. Then I found that the lace even surpassed in
exquisiteness the estimate Aunt Agnes had put upon it. Aunt Helen was
fairly envious, and spent the evening in wondering "where on earth" her
rival could have come into possession of such a treasure.

But the locket--a cameo, bizarre, and out of the run of ordinary
personal ornaments--excited her contempt.

"It is fit for a woman of forty, and would make you look like a guy,
Virginia."

The idea of looking different from other people did not disturb me.
Indeed, I had resolved to be thoroughly independent. So, on the evening
of Mrs. Dale's ball, I announced my intention of wearing the locket, and
of reserving my necklace of pearls for some more brilliant occasion.
Aunt Helen, who supervised my toilet, was greatly distressed at my
obstinacy. Nevertheless I left the house with it on. But at the last
moment my courage failed me; I slipped it off and put it in my
pocket,--thus making a courtesy to conventionality on the threshold of
society.

III.

My recollections of the first few parties I attended are confused. A
great many young men were introduced to me, but I scarcely distinguished
one from another. I was alternately dazed and dazzled by the attentions
I received. There is no object in disguising the fact that I had become
very handsome, and my brilliant financial prospects were of course well
known.

My emotions were doubtless those of an average society belle, eager to
drain the cup of pleasure to the dregs. I lived to dance, and cared
little with whom I danced, provided he danced well. The mere physical
satisfaction of waltzing, coupled with the glamor of a universal homage,
contented me.

But this did not last long. I learned to make distinctions, and to
generalize; and from this primary stage of development I began to
entertain positive likes and dislikes.

It was not however until the winter was waning that Mr. Roger Dale
occupied a different place in my thoughts from half-a-dozen others,
although he had been polite to me from the time of my first ball at his
mother's house. It would be difficult to say exactly wha