.--"You _know_ that I wish to speak
to you seriously, and you won't let me have a chance. You can joke and
laugh, while I'm breaking, my heart! I will leave you"--and, I walked
away from her out of the room and down the staircase--very proudly, very
defiantly, very miserably.

On my way I met, or rather encountered, our sandy friend who had spoilt
my interview. There was a heavy crush on the stairs; and so, somebody
else having shoved against me, I revenged myself on this gentleman,
giving him such a malicious dig in the ribs from my elbow as elicited a
deep sighing groan. This was some slight satisfaction to me. It
sounded exactly like the affected "Hough!" which paviours give vent to,
when wielding their mallets and ramming down the stones of the roadway!

In the hall, as I was hunting for my overcoat and hat, which had been
buried beneath an avalanche of other upper garments, Min, who had
followed me down, laid her hand timidly on my arm. She looked up in my
face entreatingly.

"You are not going yet, Frank, are you?" she asked.

"Yes," said I, curtly. "What should I stay for? Do you think I find it
so amusing to be laughed at? It is very poor fun, _I_ think!"

"But you, surely, won't go before saying good-bye to the lady of the
house, Frank?" she then said.

She evidently thought, you see, that I was going to commit an
unpardonable breach of good manners; and, that made her call me back--
nothing else!

I returned with her to the drawing-room. Min's face was quite pale now;
and, the little rosebud lips were pressed closely together, as if in set
determination. She perceived that she could not any longer put off what
she knew was coming--no matter what might have been her kindly intent in
so wishing to do.

On our entrance the band was playing the _Mabel_ waltz. How well I
remember it!

We joined in for a few turns; and, as I clasped my arm round her darling
waist, feeling her warm heart beating against mine, I longed to clasp
her so always, and waltz on for ever!

In a little while we rested; and, getting her to walk out on to the
canopied balcony through the French windows of the drawing-room, I there
said my say to her, amidst the waving ferns and showy azaleas that
surrounded us.

We had the place all to ourselves; for, as it was now early in the
morning, most of the guests had already gone:--the indefatigables who
remained were too busily engaged to mind us. They were making the most