there are some poor Catholics in this neighbourhood whom I pay--but
bless me! he told me not to tell. No, indeed. Cynical he may be;
idle, perhaps--most men of fashion are--but Lord Ravenel is not the
least like his father--is he, Mr. Halifax?"

"I have not seen Lord Ravenel for many years."

And as if, even to this day, the mention of the young man's name
brought back thoughts of the last day we had seen him--a day which, its
sadness having gone by, still kept its unspoken sacredness, distinct
from all other days--John moved away and went and talked to a girl whom
both he and the mother liked above most young girls we knew--simple,
sunny-faced Grace Oldtower.

Dancing began. Spite of my Quaker education, or perhaps for that very
reason, I delighted to see dancing. Dancing, such as it was then, when
young folk moved breezily and lightly, as if they loved it; skimming
like swallows down the long lines of the Triumph--gracefully winding in
and out through the graceful country dance--lively always, but always
decorous. In those days people did not think it necessary to the
pleasures of dancing that any stranger should have liberty to snatch a
shy, innocent girl round the waist, and whirl her about in mad waltz or
awkward polka, till she stops, giddy and breathless, with burning cheek
and tossed hair, looking,--as I would not have liked to see our pretty
Maud look.

No; though while watching the little lady to-night, I was inclined to
say to her:

"When you do dance, I wish you
A wave o' the sea, that you might ever do
Nothing but that."

And in her unwearied spirits she seemed as if she would readily have
responded to the wish.

We did not see Guy among the dancers, who were now forming in a
somewhat confused square, in order to execute a new dance called
quadrilles, of which Miss Grace Oldtower was to be the instructress.

"Where is Guy?" said the mother, who would have missed him among a room
full of people. "Have you seen Guy anywhere, Miss Silver?"

Miss Silver, who sat playing tunes--she had declined dancing--turned,
colouring visibly.

"Yes, I have seen him; he is in the study."

"Would you be so kind as to fetch him?"

The governess rose and crossed the room, with a stately walk--statelier
than usual. Her silk gown, of some rich soft colour, fashioned after
Mrs. Halifax's taste, and the chaplet of bay-leaves, which Maud had
insisted upon putting in her dark hair, mad