Year: 1870

you dld not know 1t was wrong to MAKE
yourself so conspicuous" y


"But," faltered Aimee, II am en-
gagged to him for seyervl more Dances


"You must make some excuse. You
cannot dance with him any more.
Don't look SO wretched, poor child; oI
course yon knew no better, and shall
speak TO hlm tomorrow"


This promise did not console Aimee
in the least, and she stood, naturally
wishing that the floor would open and
swallow her and her confusion. She
could not fly to take refuge in her room,
for in the doorway she saw Sir Stephen,
and she dare not pass him. So she
stayed where she was, trying hard not
to cry, and shrinking as much as she
could behind a stand of flowers. She
heard glorious valse begin, and her
heart beat fast as she wondered whether
he would find her, and what he would
say. Mrs HARDWOOD must be right,
but how could Sir Stephen be wrong :
While pondering over this dilemma,
she heard his we'll known voice.


81 have found you at last! Our
valse is half over. Why, what's the
matter?"


For a moment Aimee could not
speak then she gasped out, "Mrs.
Hardwood said l was not to dance with
you any more. She said it was wrong.
| am very sorry"


Aimee, my darling! Wrong! |
was wrong to expose you to this! l
ought to have spoken sooner. Don't
you know how love you? Don't you
know that my one wish is that you
should be my wife"


At this moment Sir Stephen was
nearly knocked down by couple OF
very energetic dancers; and while be
was receiving abject apologies Mrs
Hardwood, who had seen him find
Aimee, came up, and in sweet but
decided voice begged he would dance
with certain hideous young lady of
high rank, who had been much neg
lected duriug the evening. .-t


Sir Stephen could but comply, and
Aimee, seizing her opportunity, made
her way down the room, seeing no one,
hearing no one, and then flying, as if
for her life, up the staircase and through
the passages to her room, when she
locked the door and threw herself on
the sofa, crying bitterly.


What could it mean Did Sir Ste
phen mean that he wished to marry
her? She wiped away her tears, and
tried to think seriously. She liked
him very much, certainly very much,
but he was so old, and she had never
thought of the possibility of such a
thing indeed, poor child, she had
never thought of marrying any one,
save in a vague, childish way, and the
last year or two she had resolutely
looked forward to a long life Of gov.
ernessing. 1t might be possible he
meant nothing after all, she thought at
last. She would write and tell her
mother And soothed by this thought
she fell asleep.


She was reused by the great noise
made by the rest of the world in coming
up stairs, and wisely went to bed with
out tormenting herself by more thought
Ovar har difficuItips


The next morning the sun was shin
ing brightly when she awoke, and Mary
Hardwood stood by her side in the
freshest of morning dresses. Aimee
sprang up in alarm, asking what
time it was. ..........


"Eleven. l was down in time this
morning l can always get up after q
dance"


"What shall do 2" Aimee asked in
terror, for at home it was crime of
tho first magnitude to be late for break
fast.


"Do? why, get up. Lots of people
are not down yet. Only make haste il
you want to lunch with the gentlemen.
They are gone ages ago, and we are tC
start at half past twelve"


CHATTER V. . r.


Mrs Hardwood had kept her word al
to speaking to Sir Stephen As shc
was going up stairs that night she me-
him, and said, 81 want to speak to you
| know you keep early hours, so car
you come to my boudoir before break
fast ?"


Certainly. | should like to speak
to you at once but suppose it woul(
be too much to ask" 'u"


IL am afraid l must ask you to wait
few hour. | am only sorry the time
is so Short" Mrs. Hardwood said
laughing. II really cannot keep awake
any longer, so AT reroir," aud she pass
ed on.


Sir Stephen went to his room rathe
unhappy He was not as concelted a
most men, who think they have only t
ask and have, and he really feared yer,
much that the unworldly little Aime
might refuse him. So next morning
found him in the boudoir, very doubt
full and miserable, and angry with him
self for the position he found bimsel
in.


Mrs. Hardwood did not keep hin
waiting long, and rushed into her sub
ject at once, saying in the way she wa.
so fond of, half-jest, half-earnest, 6
am very angry with you for the dis
graceful way you firted with Miss Bal
low last night"


uA1T ,,. ,,o,,, oro,r,, with Won f.