sure, "this is nonsense. Depend upon it, Emma is only anxious
to get her home."

"I don't know, I don't know! If she could take her to the races,
she would be capable of taking her anywhere! They all go and drink
at that beer-shop, and catch--Julius, the pony carriage! Oh! it's
gone!"

"Yes," said Julius in explanation. "She sent Betty Reynolds into
Wil'sbro' in it."

"Get in, Rosamond," cried Cecil, "we will drive back till we find
her."

But this was more than a good coachman could permit for his horses'
sake, and Brown declared they must be fed and rested before the
ball. Cecil was ready to give up the ball, but still they could not
be taken back at once; and Rosamond had by this time turned as if
setting her face to walk at once to the race-ground until she found
her child, when Raymond said, "Rose! would you be afraid to trust to
King Coal and me? I would put him in at once and drive you till you
find Julia."

"Oh! Raymond, how good you are!"

The coachman, glad of this solution, only waited to pick up Anne,
and hurried on his horses, while the bachelor friend could not help
grunting a little, and observing that it was plain there was only
one child in the family, and that he would take any bet 'it' was at
home all right long before Poynsett reached the parsonage.

"Maybe so," said Raymond, "but I would do anything rather than leave
her mother in the distress you take so easily."

"Besides, there's every chance of her being taken to that low
public-house," said Cecil. "One that Mr. Poynsett would not allow
our servants to go to during the bazaar, though it is close to the
town-hall, and all the others did."

"Let us hope that early influence may prevent contamination,"
solemnly said the friend.

Cecil turned from him. "I still hope she may be at home," she said;
"it is getting very chill and foggy. Raymond, I hope you may not
have to go."

"You must lie down and get thoroughly rested," he said, as he helped
her out; and only waiting to equip himself for the evening dance, he
hurried to the stables to expedite the harnessing of the powerful
and fiery steed which had as yet been only experimentally driven by
himself and the coachman.

Rosamond was watching, and when King Coal was with difficulty pulled
up, she made but one spring to the seat of the dog-cart; and Julius,
who was tucking in the rug, had to leap back to save his foot, so
instantaneous was the dash forward. They went like th