now his cowardice in trying to disclaim what he had done lent him
the insolence to say to this other: "My child, you are betrayed by your
youth and conceit; you exaggerate my meaning. I had no intention to
distinguish you by coquetting with you!" This was her interpretation of
him; and her indignation was not lessened by the inevitable conclusion
that he, who had been through so many scenes with women, secretly found
her simplicity diverting. Miss Betty had a little of her father in her;
while it was part of her youth, too, that, of all things she could least
endure the shadow of a smile at her own expense.

"Oh, oh!" she cried, her voice shaking with anger. "I suppose your bad
heart is half-choked with your laughter at me."

She turned from him swiftly, and left him.

Almost running, she entered the house, and hurried to a seat by
Mrs. Tanberry, nestling to her like a young sapling on a hillside.
Instantaneously, several gentlemen, who had hastily acquitted themselves
of various obligations in order to seek her, sprang forward with eager
greetings, so that when the stricken Tom, dazed and confounded by his
evil luck, followed her at about five paces, he found himself confronted
by an impenetrable abbatis formed by the spiked tails of the coats of
General Trumble, Madrillon, Tappingham Marsh, Cummings and Jefferson
Bareaud. Within this fortification rang out laughter and sally from Miss
Carewe; her color was high and her eyes sparkled never more brightly.

Flourish and alarums sounded for a quadrille. Each of the semi-circle,
firmly elbowing his neighbor, begged the dance of Miss Betty; but Tom
was himself again, and laid a long, strong hand on Madrillon's shoulder,
pressed him gently aside, and said:

"Forgive me; Miss Carewe has honored me by the promise of this
quadrille."

He bowed, offering his arm, and none of them was too vain to envy that
bow and gesture.

For a moment he remained waiting. Miss Carewe rose slowly, and, directly
facing him, said in composed and even voice: "You force me to beg you
never to address me again."

She placed her hand on the General's arm, turning her back squarely upon
Tom.

In addition to those who heard, many persons in that part of the room
saw the affront and paused in arrested attitudes; others, observing
these, turned inquiringly, so that sudden silence fell, broken only
by the voice of Miss Betty as she moved away, talking cheerily to the
General. Tom was left stand