ung. But come, if you are ready."

The house where the dance was to take place stood on a slight elevation,
so that its unglazed windows, blazing with light, shone out
conspicuously and lighted the approaching guests as they wound their way
among the rough heaps of mortar, planks, and various _debris_ left by
the workmen. The two gentlemen made their way readily to the open door,
and stepped at once into full view of the ball-room.

It was a space of about fifty feet long and thirty wide, running all
across the house from back to front. Chandeliers of most primitive
construction had been hung from the roof, and so skilfully decked with
green that the rough splinters of wood which formed them were completely
hidden. Flags and garlands ornamented the rough brick walls, and with
plenty of light and flowers, and no small amount of taste and skill, the
volunteer decorators had in fact succeeded in making out of rather
unpromising materials, a very gay and brilliant-looking saloon.

A small space near the door had been railed off, and served as a passage
to the dressing-rooms, from which sounds of voices and laughter came
merrily, though the ball-room itself was at present quite empty.

"Your neighbours are not quite so punctual as you would have me
believe," said Mr. Percy; "there is not even a fiddler visible."

At that moment Mrs. Bellairs put her head out of a dressing-room. "Oh,
William!" she said, "I'm so glad you are come. Have you seen Maurice or
Henry Scott?"

"No indeed. Where are your fiddlers?"

"Just what I want to know. When we came they had not arrived, and Henry
was gone to look for them. Maurice only waited a few minutes, and
finding they did not come, he went too. What shall we do?"

"Wait, I suppose. They are sure to be here immediately. I only hope
they will arrive tolerably sober."

Mrs. Bellairs shrugged her shoulders and retreated. Mr. Percy smiled
rather contemptuously.

"Do these accidents often happen?" he asked.

"Dear me! no. I never knew anything to go wrong where Elise had the
management, before. But I must go and look if they are coming."

He hurried out, but scarcely passed the doorway when the lost musicians
appeared, under the guidance of Maurice and Henry Scott. They were not,
perhaps, quite beyond suspicion as to sobriety, but there was no fear of
their being unable to do their duty reasonably well. The happy news of
their arrival being made known by the commencement of a vigor