content, while the whole room was agog, trying to find
out who the beautiful young stranger could be. But she kept her own
counsel and, making some excuse, slipped away before the ball finished;
so when her fellow-servants came to bed, there she was in hers in her
cap and robe of rushes, pretending to be fast asleep.

Next morning, however, the maids could talk of nothing but the beautiful
stranger.

"You should ha' seen her," they said. "She was the loveliest young lady
as ever you see, not a bit like the likes o' we. Her golden hair was all
silvered wi' pearls, and her dress--law! You wouldn't believe how she
was dressed. Young master never took his eyes off her."

And Caporushes only smiled and said, with a twinkle in her eye, "I
should like to see her, but I don't think I ever shall."

"Oh yes, you will," they replied, "for young master has ordered another
ball to-night in hopes she will come to dance again."

But that evening Caporushes refused once more to go to the gallery,
saying she was too tired with cleaning pots and scraping saucepans. And
once more when she heard the fiddlers fiddling she said to herself, "I
must have one dance--just one with the young master: he dances so
beautifully." For she felt certain he would dance with her.

And sure enough, when she had upped and offed with her cap and robe of
rushes, there he was at the door waiting for her to come; for he had
determined to dance with no one else.

So he took her by the hand, and they danced down the ball-room. It was a
sight of all sights! Never were such dancers! So young, so handsome, so
fine, so gay!

But once again Caporushes kept her own counsel and just slipped away on
some excuse in time, so that when her fellow-servants came to their beds
they found her in hers, pretending to be fast asleep; but her cheeks
were all flushed and her breath came fast. So they said, "She is
dreaming. We hope her dreams are happy."

But next morning they were full of what she had missed. Never was such a
beautiful young gentleman as young master! Never was such a beautiful
young lady! Never was such beautiful dancing! Every one else had stopped
theirs to look on.

And Caporushes, with a twinkle in her eyes, said, "I should like to see
her; but I'm _sure_ I never shall!"

"Oh yes!" they replied. "If you come to-night you're sure to see her;
for young master has ordered another ball in hopes the beautiful
stranger will come again; for it's easy to