table, and attribute his accident to his having stood so long on
her lawn, in the heat, watching the poor people at their dinner. He
added that he was glad to have arrived in time to drink Miss Nugent's
health, and proceeded to the dining-room.

Freda did her best to talk to the few, and very select, ladies, who had
been honoured by an invitation to dinner; and felt intense relief when,
one after another, all the evening-party arrived.

Dancing soon began, and Freda saw Colonel Vaughan and Miss Nugent
together in a quadrille. Sir Hugh had asked her to dance with him, but
she begged him to let her sit down that first dance, and promised him
the next.

Of course she watched the pair in whom she was most interested. She was
obliged to confess that Miss Nugent was the handsomest, most elegant,
and best dressed girl in the room; as she talked to Colonel Vaughan, she
looked almost animated; and he, on his part, seemed as gay and perfectly
at his ease, as if there had never been a Gladys in the world. They
were, unquestionably a fine, aristocratic couple; danced well, walked
well, and to all appearance were well pleased with one another. Lady
Mary Nugent watched them quite as narrowly as Freda.

Sick at heart, Freda danced the next dance with Sir Hugh, and managed to
avoid coming in contact with Colonel Vaughan, who had secured Lady Mary
as his partner. Once or twice, however, Freda caught his keen, searching
glance fixed upon her, and knew that he was trying to read her mind, as
he had often done before.

It was useless for her to try to avoid him, as he came direct to her to
ask her for the next dance. She longed to say that she would never dance
with him again, but even she had tact enough to know that it would not
do to refuse, for the sake of the effect such a refusal might have both
on him and the world. All she could do, however, was to bow her consent,
take his arm, and walk, pale, silent, and stately, to the top of a
quadrille. They had met Sir Hugh and Miss Nugent, and Colonel Vaughan
had secured them as _vis-a-vis_; for once his tact had failed him, he
could not have managed worse.

Freda tried to answer his questions, but in vain; she could not be
hypocrite enough to treat him as she was accustomed to do. In him there
was no perceptible change; she once fancied she perceived an uneasy
expression in his face, as he looked at her, but his manner was
friendly, lively, fascinating as ever; he even asked her what