totally forgotten her vicinity to them; and as tell-tales are never
wanting in curiosity, she sat up in her bed and applying her ear to the
key-hole of the door, she distinctly heard every word they said, though
they were speaking in a low voice.

She was soon able to comprehend the subject of their conversation. Mr.
Evering was lamenting that the failure of a friend for whom he had
endorsed to a large amount, had brought him into unexpected
difficulties; but he hoped that he would be able to go on till the sums
due to him by some western merchants should arrive.

Next evening, Rosamond was permitted to go to a juvenile cotillon-party,
held once a fortnight, at the ball-room of her dancing-master. To this
place her mother always accompanied her; and while Mrs. Evering was
sitting in conversation with some ladies, a boy named George Granby, who
was frequently the partner of Rosamond at these balls, came up and
asked her to dance. They were obliged to go to the farthest end of the
room before they could get places in a cotillon; and while they were
waiting for the music to begin, George, who thought Rosamond a very
pretty girl, asked her if she would also be his partner in the
country-dance. She replied that Henry Harford had engaged her, at the
last ball, for this country-dance.

"Oh!" replied George Granby, "Henry Harford will not be here to-night;
his father failed yesterday."

"True," said Rosamond, "I wonder I should have forgotten Mr. Harford's
failure, when my father lost so much by him. But when the fathers fail,
must the children stay away from balls?"

"Certainly," replied George, "it would be considered very improper for
the family to be seen in any place of amusement when its head is in so
much trouble, and when they have lost all they possessed."

"O then," exclaimed Rosamond, "I hope _my_ father will not fail till the
cotillon-parties are over for the season. There are but two more, and I
should be very sorry to give them up. I hope he will be able to go on,
at least till after that time. How sorry I shall be when he _does_
fail."

"I believe you," said George; "but what makes you talk about your
father's failing? I thought he was considered safe enough."

"Ah! you know but little about it," answered Rosamond. "I heard him tell
my mother last night, that he was in hourly dread of failing, in
consequence of the great losses by Mr. Harford, and of his own business
having gone on badly for a long time.