greet you by your
real name, Mrs. Berners," said the Black Prince.

"Thanks," answered Sybil. "I saw that many persons knew me, and I wished
to ascertain whether you were among their number, and how you and others
found me out."

"Some diviner of spirits," laughed the Black Prince, "divined you, not
only _through_ but _by_ your costume, in its correspondence with your
character. And as soon as he made this discovery he hastened to
promulgate it. Then I, for one, perceived at once that the splendid
'Fire Queen' could be no other than a daughter of 'Berners of the
Burning Heart.' And now, Madam! am I permitted to introduce myself by
the name I bear in this humdrum world of reality, or has your
penetration already rendered such an introduction unnecessary?"

"It is unnecessary. I have just recognized--Captain Pendleton," replied
Sybil.

The captain bowed low. And then, to the "forward two" of the leader of
the band, he led his partner up to meet their _vis-a-vis_, to "balance,"
"pass," "change," and go through all the figures of the dance.

And so the dances succeeded each other to the end of the set. And then
Captain Pendleton led his beautiful partner back to her seat, and stood
talking with her until the music for the waltz commenced.

Then, having solicited her hand for that dance, and having ascertained
that she never waltzed, he bowed and withdrew to find a partner
elsewhere.

Very soon Sybil saw him whirling around the room with some one of the
many unknown flower girls that constituted so large a portion of the
company.

Soon after this she saw both her husband and her rival among the
waltzers; but they were not waltzing together. Edith the Fair was
whirling around and around the room in the arms of a hermit, while
Harold the Saxon was engaged with a pretty nun.

"They know me! they are cautious!" muttered Sybil, biting her lips with
suppressed fury; for their forbearance, which she called duplicity,
enraged her more than all their flirting had done.

And now she immediately put in execution the resolution that she had
formed in the earlier part of the evening. Seeing her new acquaintance
Death standing unemployed, she beckoned him to approach.

He came promptly.

"King of Terrors!" she said with assumed levity, "I do not waltz, but I
am tired of sitting here. Give me your arm to the other end of the room,
and even all around the room, perhaps."

"Spirit of Fire! it will not be the first time that