Chrissy. No, she turned
her head the other way, and he rose up and strolled through the room.
But he was soon back in his old place.

He wanted to dance with Chrissy again. She hesitated, grew nervous, and
cast her eyes on Mrs. Spottiswoode. He went straight to their hostess,
and said, "Mrs. Spottiswoode, you have no objection that I dance this
dance again with Miss Chrissy Hunter?"

"None in the world, Bourhope," said Mrs. Spottiswoode, with a spasmodic
smile, "why should I?"

"Why, indeed?" he returned, "or every dance? May I tell her so?"

"That is as she and you may agree. You are aware that would appear
something serious," she said, trying to laugh.

"I will take the consequences," he significantly assured her, and went
back and told Chrissy so, and then he drove her to her inmost citadel,
and beat her there.

Other eyes than Mrs. Spottiswoode's were attracted to the pair.
Half-a-dozen matrons' heads went wagging significantly; girls
whispered and tittered; gentlemen opened their eyes, shaped their
mouths as if about to whistle, strolled up and took their observations
of the pre-occupied, unconscious couple quite coolly, and then
speculated and gossiped.

Mrs. Spottiswoode read these comments as well as what had gone before,
and was ready with her magnanimity. It was this which constituted her a
truly able tactician. She shifted her tack before the shout of malicious
exultation and ridicule could have been raised at her discomfiture. By a
dexterous sleight of hand, she shuffled her cards and altered her suit.
In a moment Mrs. Spottiswoode was winking and nodding with the matrons
interested in the news of the night. She arrested a good-humoured
yeoman, and crossed the room on his arm, to express and receive
congratulations. "You have found out the secret? Foolish fellow,
Bourhope; he cannot conceal his feelings, though their display is
premature. I must scold him for exposing himself and her. Poor dear! she
is not accustomed to this sort of thing. But I am so delighted--so nice,
isn't it? Such an excellent marriage for my cousin Chrissy--a good girl,
a very clever girl--such a fortunate beginning for the Blackfaulds
family. I often say the first marriage makes or mars a family of girls.
It is so lucky that I invited Chrissy for the yeomanry weeks this
summer. It is a great deal better than if it had been Corrie, because
Corrie can wait," with a careless wave of her hand in the direction in
which Corrie move