lly's, but her bottles have all gold heads,
and are full of uncanny-looking compounds, and I made a raid at last on
Sweet Honey's rational old dressing-case, poked out her keys from her
pocket, and got in; wasting interminable time. Well, when I got back to
my fainting damsel, _non est inventus_.'

'_Inventa_,' murmured the spirit of Miss Fennimore within Phoebe. 'But
what? had she got well?'

'So I suppose. Gone off to the servants' rooms, no doubt; as there is no
White Lady in the fountain to spirit them both away. What, haven't you
done that, yet?'

'Oh! Lucy, stand still, please, or you'll get another hook in.'

'Give me the scissors; I know I could do it quicker. Never mind the
curtain, I say; nobody will care.'

She put up her hand, and shook head and feet to the entanglement of a
third hook; but Phoebe, decided damsel that she was, used her superior
height to keep her mastery, held up the scissors, pressed the fidgety
shoulder into quiescence, and kept her down while she extricated her,
without fatal detriment to the satin, though with scanty thanks, for the
liberation was no sooner accomplished than the sprite was off, throwing
out a word about Rashe wanting her.

Phoebe emerged to find that she had not been missed, and presently the
concert was over, and tea coming round, there was a change of places.
Robert came towards her. 'I am going,' he said.

'Oh! Robert, when dancing would be one chance?'

'She does not mean to give me that chance; I would not ask it while she
is in that dress. It is answer sufficient. Good night, Phoebe; enjoy
yourself.'

Enjoy herself! A fine injunction, when her brother was going away in
such a mood! Yet who would have suspected that rosy, honest apple face
of any grievance, save that her partner was missing?

Honora was vexed and concerned at his neglect, but Phoebe appeased her by
reporting what Lucy had said. 'Thoughtless! reckless!' sighed Honora;
'if Lucy _would_ leave the poor girl on his hands, of course he is
obliged to make some arrangement for getting her home! I never knew such
people as they are here! Well, Phoebe, you _shall_ have a partner next
time!'

Phoebe had one, thanks chiefly to Rashe, and somehow the rapid motion
shook her out of her troubles, and made her care much less for Robin's
sorrows than she had done two minutes before. She was much more absorbed
in hopes for another partner.

Alas! he did not come; neither then nor for the e