utiful, and while he looked
he could not help half fancying that he had seen that countenance
before. Still where it had been he could not discover; he had seen so
few ladies during his sea-life that he was convinced he should, before
long, remember. Yet what puzzled him was, that he felt so very familiar
with the countenance. Eyes have a remarkable sympathy for each other;
after a time the lady knew that she was observed--not with idle,
careless admiration, but especially noticed. She looked up for a moment
and observed a countenance of manly beauty and intelligence not easily
forgotten. There were none in that vast assemblage to be compared to
it, she thought, and yet she tried not to allow herself to dwell on the
thought; her partner carried her off in the rapid dance.

Morton stood watching her with greater interest than he would have
allowed even to himself.

"Yes, I must have seen her--but where? In my dreams--in my fancy," he
muttered to himself as his eyes continued following the fair young girl.
"Nonsense! I am allowing my imagination to run away with me. And yet
I do know that countenance, I am certain of it."

Perhaps the young lady saw his eyes following hers. She seemed at all
events to be paying but very little attention to the observations of her
partner.

Morton at length noticed him; he was a young man, and had the air of a
person thoroughly well satisfied with himself; but as Ronald watched him
more narrowly he was convinced that he had taken more wine than his head
could bear; his flushed countenance and unsteady movements after a time
showed this. His partner probably had made the same discovery; and
though in those days his condition would not have excited the disgust it
would at the present in the mind of a well-educated girl, she was
evidently anxious to obtain a seat, and to release herself from his
society. Still he held her hand with a look of maudlin admiration, and
insisted on forcing her once more down the dance. It was evident that
she would have to struggle to escape from him, and rather than attract
observation she allowed herself to be dragged once more towards the
bottom of the room.

Such was the interpretation Morton put on what he witnessed, and he felt
strongly inclined to rush forward to assist her. The couple had got
close to him, by which time the gentleman had become still more excited
and unsteady--his foot slipped--the fair girl looked up imploringly at
Mort