Year: 1878

preston of absolute wonder, disappointment
incredulity and dismay, strongly anu unmls'
takably blended-stsrtled her into ne"
consciousness of something which she had not
before felt. She colored deeply, and her
glance suddenly fell.


"On second thought" she said, in con-
strained manner, and tone which trembled
slightly in spite of herself, 81 would rather
you did not take any trouble about this. 1t
is not of much consequence. | can arrange 1t
myself" -.


'Trouble !" interrupted Allan. ut will
give me the greatest pleasure, be assured, to
act as your envoy, or render you any other
service in my power" He would have given
anything, now, if he had not suffered that in
voluntary betrayal of his feelings. For this
girl, he felt sure, in her beauty, innocence and
simplicity, was worthy, no matter what her
social position might be, of all the courtesy
and consideration it was the province Of a
gentleman to accord to her sex.


She made no reply; but after momentary
hesitation, rose and looked toward her door,


"Can be of any further use ?" asked Al
Ian, concluding that she wished him to CO.


"No, thank you, sir" Her manner, in re-
plying, was still formal and cold. But, di.
rectly AFTER she added with mingled reserve
and sweetness, II am most grateful to you for
your kind assistance" then, with graceful
inclination of the head, turned to enter her
own apartment.


Allan, as he drove towards the -- Thea
tire, ruminated over this strange episode with
feelings impossible to be described. Never
before had he met girl whose beauty and
charm of manner had so forcibly impressed
him, or whom he would more readily have
chosen as the object of his attentions had
they stood on equal ground. But ballet
dancer! Heavens and earth, what misfor-
tune! The idea of this delicate, pure-look-
ing being displaying herself in the mazes
of ballet to the eyes of the public, to the
vulgar criticism or admiration of the general
throng, filled him with repugnance and hor-
ror. She seemed the type of refined, perfect
womanhood, fitted only to adorn the highest
circles of society, and shed a grace and lus
tire around the domestic hearth. He felt
as if be could have given worlds to arrange
things diferenty-to have transplanted her
from her unworthy sphere to one suitable to
her deserts. But after all, what did he know
about her? Her outward aspect might be
only beauteous mask her graceful courtesy
and polished speech simply the result of a
painstaking effort, utterly incongruous to her
nature.


He repeled this idea, however, as soon as
formed. "She is no deceiver, no mere actress,
TT venture to take my oath upon that?' he
said, energeticslly to himself: "Whatever
her calling may be, she was Intended by ma
ture for better things, and has only, by some
strange mischance, been reduced to the igno.
BILE level to which she has descended"


He obtained, without difficulty, an inter-
view with Boatwright, the manager, whom
he found, to use an expressive, if not elegant,
term, Gin stew" He was good deal dis
posed to bluster, and received Alan's expla-
nation of Mariposa's nonappearance with an
outbreak of angry fault6nding and COM
plant, only restrained from becoming actu.
al iuvective and abuse, by respect for his lis
tener, of whose standing he was quite well
aware.


Its most aggravating and unprecedent-
ed occurrences most confounded shame and
disappointment. sir, to me and to the public.
Here l had the performance all arranged, the
ballet to come in between the second and third
acts, where it would have been most effective; !;
and half the people come only on account of
the ballet in these spectacular plays, and for
the girl to 60 and get knocked down in the
street! never heard anything like il" said
the injured manager. "The other girls were
all at loss, because, of course, they had their
parts arranged dependant upon hers. We
kept looking for her until the very last mo-
ment, supposing that something had happened
to delay her coming, and then had to get up
a substitute, all in hurry, and the whole
thing was failure. See what the papers will
say about it tomorrow !"


"It will be easy enough, I imagine, for you
to get paragraph inserted, explaining the
affair." You do not seem to take into consid.
Grafton that the young lady, herself, is the
chief victim of the misfortune Of which she
is entirely blameless," said Allan, disgusted
with his selfish injustice. He would not stay
a moment longer than he could help, but hur-
riad off, more troubled and indignant than
ever. To think Of the delicate Mariposa
being exposed to the vulgar resentment of a
man like this He wondered if she had any
protector, any friend worthy other confidence,
to watch over her interests and guard her
from insult and unkind treatment. He walked
about the streets half the night, thinking the
matter over, and unconscious how late it was
growing, until church clock near, startled
him by Ginning the hour of twelve. Then he
wended his way homeward, hoping that he
would find all the family gone to bed, and be
able to effect an entrance unheard. The Fates
were against him, however. Mrs. Dashwood
was sitting up in the library, and hearing the
latch key turn in the lock, came oat at once
into the hall to meet him.


"Where on earth have you been, Allan p
she exclaimed.


1t may be readily surmised that he did not
give full, particular and satisfactory ac-
count of his evenings exploits. Indeed, the
account, if true one, would scarcely have
been satisfactory. So he made up some