wfully crowded, and you dance too well for one; besides,

enjoying myself in spite of the crush. But I should rather like to

, where's a

onservatory; it should be empty n

o allowed that the dimly illumined recess among the tree-ferns deserved its fa

ened health and Australian women can do between them. They beheld their bachelor return within four months, a comfortably married man, with a pleasant little wife who was very fond of him, and in no way jealous of his old friends. That was Mrs. Erskine's great merit, and the secret of the signal success with which she presided over his table in West Kensington, when Erskine had settled down there and returned with steadiness to the good, safe business to which he had been virtually born a partner. For his part, without being enslaved to a degree embarrassing to their friends, Holland made an obviously satisfactory husband. He was good-natured and never exacting; he was well off and generous. One of a wealthy, many-membered firm driving a versatile trade in the East, he was as free personally from business anxieties as was the hall porter at the firm's offices in Lombard Street. There Erskine was the most popular and least useful fraction of the firm, being just a

his father-in-law had done before him) was due to an acutely fair mind allied with a thoroughly kind and sympathetic nature. His own attitude toward society was not free from that slight intellectual superiority which some of the best fellows in the world cannot help; but at least it was perfec

de himself comfortable; "but I'm afraid i

ncing with you the whole evening,

bsequious of you

k much of my partners

think much of," cried Erskine Holland. "Hav

the gold fields now; they have heard of a place called Ballarat, but they aren't certain whether it's a part of Melbourne or nearer Syd

ll me how to address a letter to Montreal-is it Quebec or O

," replied Chri

much difference between a group of colonies and a dominion, you see. I'm afraid

ina la

you'll lend me a geography, as well as Ruskin and Thackeray. Nevertheless, Australia's more importa

t it was only the

up one side of the room, and dragging you after them down the other. Sometimes the

se there are

don't much like trying to-but there's a something about everything that makes it seem better than anything of the kind that we can do in Melbourne. The music is so splendid, and the floor, and the flowers. I never saw such a few diamonds-or such beauties! Even the ices are the best I ever tasted, and they aren't too sweet. There's somet

ght fit! I'm obliged to you for the expression, Tiny. I only hope it isn't suggested by personal suffering.

ice of the shimmering attire that had be

must own I rather like myself in this lot. I didn't w

ic's the only friend. She has been very nice to Ruth. Mos

mpany in a lowered voice. Chr

you say?" said she, pl

o you k

elbourne once as aid-de-camp

anister; he wasn't o

. He was a quiet young man with a mania for cricket; we liked him because he set our yo

glad to hear he didn't give himself airs; you couldn't say the sam

ng up her fan; and as she spoke the music, whose strain

Mr. Holland being afforded the entertainment of disappoint

got on so well together. They were amused by such trifles as a distant prospect of Ruth, who was innocently enjoying herself at the other end of the conservatory, unaware of their eyes. Erskine might have felt proud, and no doubt he did, for many people considered Ruth even prettier t

peron," remarked C

say I see mine within ten yards of m

er card. "It's H

s deeply employed with a girl in red-I think an American. Shall I take you

e him, and you can send him at once. Don't blame Ruth. What does it matter? It

er lightest mood, and this was worse. She became abnormally aware of her own presence as she stood looking down and impatiently tapping with her little white slipper upon the marble flags. Even about these there was the grand air which Christina relished; she might have seen her face far below, as though she had been standing in still water; but her thoughts had been given a rough jerk inward, her outward vision fell no deeper than the polished surface, while her mind's eye saw all at once the dusty veranda boards of Wallandoon. She stood very still, and in her ears the music died away, and through three months of travel and great changes she heard again the night-horse champing in the yard, and

-this is the most extraordi

ropped h

tnight," sai

ver so late in the season!

ere was a good dea

Henley, t

'm going t

the Eton a

re. That was your

man blus

tely it wasn't my match, though; m

aid Tiny, le

e you, Miss

there was some nervousness in his manner, but his good eyes never fell from

this dance, Miss Luttr

afraid I'm en

find your par

orate revelation to Christina, and wrote itself in her brain. "Do you

and made sure I had seen him somewhere before; but he looks older. I d

I he

ve a turn with yo

ime to hesitate longer. Then she took his arm, and they passed through a narrow av

her: they made her dance her best; and her best was the best in the room, though her partner was uncommonly good, and they had danced together before. Among the eyes were Ruth's, and they were beaming; the others were mostly inquisitive, and as strange to Christina as she evidently was to them; but once a turn brought her face to face with Herbert, on his way from the conservatory, an

d after the dance as they sat together in

land; you never met her, I thi

do you

ectory for the whole of August. They had it last year, and liked the place so

cried Christi

o you k

an. "I suppose you will go on the Co

he expects to have to go to Lisbon on business at the e

iny's friend reflectively. "Get him to take y

nts of a young man in spectacles, who was plainly in search of somebody

, don't you think? But I've heard Cintra wel

ling that young man's coat tai

cted earnestness. "I may meet you again, but I sh

l was smilin

r to accept things without them." There was a gleam in her smile, but as she spoke she flash

ve home together in one hansom, while Ruth and her husband followed in another. The morning air blew fresh upon their faces; the rising sun struck sparks from the harness; the leaves in the park were greener than a

ed by that joker!" sai

empty," said Tiny mil

ing the ground he had taken in preliminary charg

ord Manister asked me to dance with him, and I didn't see why I sho

"if it comes to that, he on

," said the girl, be

or dancing with him if I were you. He said I was

ied out; but her voice broke over the words,

oubt that in such a combat with Lord Manister that nobleman, though otherwise a finer athlete, would have suffered extremely. But it was not in Herbert to hit any

hing at all-except that I'd like to fill up Manister's eye!