Before she could again reply, Mr. Sylvester returned. His face was still
pale, but it had acquired an expression of rigidity even more alarming
to Paula than its previous aspect of forced merriment. Lifting her by
the hand, he drew her apart.

"I shall have to leave you somewhat abruptly," said he. "An important
matter demands my instant attention. Bertram is somewhere here, and will
see that you and Ona arrive home in safety. You won't allow your
enjoyment to be clouded by my hasty departure, will you?"

"Not if it will make you anxious. But I would rather go home with you
now. I am sure Cousin Ona would be willing."

"But I am not going home at present," said he; and she ventured upon no
further remonstrance.

But her enjoyment was clouded; the sight of suffering or anxiety on that
face was more than she could bear; and ere long she said good-night to
Cicely, and accepting the arm of Mr. Ensign, who was never very far from
her side, proceeded to search for her cousin.

She found her standing in the midst of an admiring throng to whom her
diamonds, if not her smiles, were an object of undoubted interest. She
was in the full tide of one of her longest and most widely rambling
speeches, and to Paula, with that stir of anxiety at her breast, was an
image of self-satisfied complacency from which she was fain to drop her
eyes.

"Mrs. Sylvester shares the honors with her husband," remarked Mr. Ensign
as they drew near.

"But not the trials, or the pain, or the care?" was Paula's inward
comment.

Mrs. Sylvester was not easily wooed away from a circle in which she
found herself creating such an impression, but at length she yielded to
Paula's importunities, and consented to accept young Mr. Sylvester's
attendance to their home. The next thing was to find Bertram. Mr. Ensign
engaged to do this. Leaving Paula with her cousin, who may or may not
have been pleased at this sudden addition to her circle, he sought for
the young man who as Mr. Mandeville was not unknown to any of the
fashionable men and women of the day. It was no easy task, nor did he
find him readily, but at last he came upon him leaning out of a window
and gazing at a white lily which he held in his hand. Without preamble,
Mr. Ensign made known his errand, and Bertram at once prepared to
accompany him back to the ladies.

"By Jove! I didn't know the fellow was so handsome!" thought the former,
and frowned he hardly knew why. Bertram was not handsome,