pa as Florian's father. I think it may well be that
papa should not wish us to go to this ball."

Then there came a look of disappointment over Ada's face, as though
her doom had already been spoken. A ball to Ada, and especially a
ball at Galway,--a coming ball,--was a promise of infinite enjoyment;
but a ball with Captain Yorke Clayton would be heaven on earth. And
by the way in which this invitation had come he had been secured as a
partner for the evening. He could not write to them, and especially
call upon them to come without doing all he could to make the evening
pleasant for them. She included Edith in all these promises of
pleasantness. But Edith, if the thing was to be done at all, would
do it all for Ada. As for the danger in which the man passed his
life, that must be left in the hands of God. Looking at it with great
seriousness, as in the midst of her joking she did look at these
things, she told herself that Ada was very lovely, and that this man
was certainly lovable. And she had taken it into her imagination that
Captain Clayton was certainly in the road to fall in love with Ada.
Why should not Ada have her chance? And why should not the Captain
have his? Why should not she have her chance of having a gallant
lovable gentleman for a brother-in-law? Edith was not at all prepared
to give the world up for lost, because Pat Carroll had made himself a
brute, and because the neighbours were idiots and had boycotted them.
It must all depend upon their father, whether they should or should
not go to the ball. And she had not thought it prudent to appear too
full of hope when talking of it to Ada; but for herself she quite
agreed with the Captain that policy required them to go.

"I suppose you would like it?" she said to her sister.

"I always was fond of dancing," replied Ada.

"Especially with heroes."

"Of course you laugh at me, but Captain Clayton won't be there as an
officer; he's only a resident magistrate."

"He's the best of all the officers," said Edith with enthusiasm. "I
won't have our hero run down. I believe him to have twice as much
in him as any of the officers. He's the gallantest fellow I know. I
think we ought to go, if it's only because he wants it."

"I don't want not to go," said Ada.

"I daresay not; but papa will be the difficulty."

"He'll think more of you than of me, Edith. Suppose you go and talk
to him."

So it was decided; and Edith went away to her father, leaving Ada