e bees about new clover.
The gallants stood, or sat as wall-flowers in a row, deserted. The King
too had been abandoned for the lion of the hour and sat disconsolate.

"Peace, jealous ones!" cried Lady Hamilton, reprovingly, then continued,
with a winning way: "I know thou art Apollo himself, good sir."

Nell smiled complacently, though she felt her mask, to assure herself
that it was firm.

"Apollo, truly," she said, jauntily, "if thou art his lyre, sweet lady."

Lady Hamilton turned to the Duchess.

"Oh, your grace," she asked, languishingly, "tell us in a breath, tell
us, who is this dainty beau of the ball?"

"How am I to know my guests," answered Portsmouth, feigning innocence,
"with their vizors down? Nay, sweet sir, unmask and please the ladies.
I'faith, who art thou?"

The hostess was delighted. The popularity of the new-comer was lending a
unique novelty to her entertainment. She was well pleased that she had
detained Monsieur Adair. She thought she saw a jealous look in the
King's usually carelessly indifferent gaze when she encouraged the
affectionate glances of the Irish youth.

"I'faith," laughed Nell, in reply, "I know not, Duchess."

"D'ye hear?" said Portsmouth. "He knows not himself."

"But I have a suspicion, Duchess," sighed Nell.

"Hark ye," laughed Portsmouth, with a very pretty pout, "he has a
suspicion, ladies."

"Nay, you will tell?" protested Nell, as the ladies gathered closer
about her in eager expectation.

There was a unison of voices to the contrary.

"Trust us, fair sir," said one. "Oh, we are good at keeping secrets."

"Then, 'twixt you and me, I am--" began Nell; and she hesitated,
teasingly.

The group about grew more eager, more wild with curiosity.

"Yes, yes--" they exclaimed together.

"I am," said Nell, "the Pied Piper of Hamlin Town."

"The rat-catcher," cried Portsmouth. "Oh, oh, oh!"

There was a lifting of skirts, revealing many high-born insteps, and a
scramble for chairs, as the ladies reflected upon the long lines of rats
in the train of the mesmeric Pied Piper.

"Flee, flee!" screamed Lady Hamilton, playfully. "He may pipe us into
the mountains after the children."

"You fill me with laughter, ladies," said Portsmouth to her guests. "The
man does not live who can entrap me."

"The woman does," thought Nell, as, mock-heroically, she placed near her
lips a reed-pipe which she had snatched from a musician in the midst of
the fun; and, whistling a m