The Doctor's Daughter

and wildest confusion, at least such did it seem to me then, when I was unsophis

lice Merivale was out before me and was quite a success, and all I had to do was to renew my early friendship with her" or in other words to play the parasite as prettily as I knew how. About this, however, I had made up my mind before I appeared in the busy arena of fashionable society. Twice a week now I put on some of my expensive new toilets and went with my step-mother in our handsome conveyance to make calls. I was presented to every one of any note, and drank tea in the best drawing-rooms the Capital could boast of. So far my step-mother looked happy. I had not been awkward at introductions, nor dull in conversations. I had even made some very pithy remarks where they could do

w far apart we stood in sympathies and tastes? But it is astonishing how rapidly youth overtakes maturity. Although the inevitable

and speculating in a hopeful way, as people do when a grand social event of this nature is on the tapis. My step-mother spent the whole of the day before among her fragments of small finery, re-arranging tumbled l

r rooms in quiet walking costumes which we had worn in the afternoon, and an hour or so later we emerged in the fullest ball-toilet. I was r

faithful Janet bestowing her attention upon the bare, plump shoulders of h

urned from the glass her gaze fell fully upon me. I could see that she was not disappointed, but her generous admiration in no way interfered with the consciousness which filled her of her ow

taking hers my step-mother suddenly remembered she had left her jewel case unlocked, and she hurried out of the room in a state of anxious excitement. I turned my back to the fire and in utter abstraction riveted my gaze upon the butterfly handles of the teacups. I was thi

and beheld him leaning against the polished casement, the heavy red curtain over the entrance hanging

d that there was something unusual in his manner and expression to-night. He passed his hand wearily over his brow and eyes

ong as I could remember. I felt a deep blush creeping up to my very ears; in fact I was stupidly

room abruptly. I drank my cup of tea and prepared to leave as one moving about in a dream. This was one of the strangest experiences I had ever had; some secret spring seemed to have been magically touched within me, and all the pent-up

then have loved my dear dead mother, I thought fondly, when twenty y

ds the Hartmann's residence, and I alighted at their door with my eyes full of unsh

dispose of as I willed. I was standing in the doorway of the spacious ball-room with a circle of new-made gentlemen acquain

en," the very good-looking Mr. H

terrupted as he was about

ely and tried to look pleasantly sorry. He raised his perfect dark

iously playful tone, "I will give

ar, winning smile, "I am thankful for any." He wrote his name very badly on my prog

, I was soon in a trying dilemma. Amiable and courteous as these fashionable lions were acknowledged to be, they could not get themselves to sa

be closely watched by many a fair rival. Already the music for the opening dance was sounding. I was engaged for this one, and had for my vis-a-vis my step-mother and an imposing gentleman in heavy regimentals.

over. My step-mother detected my listless manner, and came to me later, when the dance was ended and I had been left by the amiable Mr. Fawcett standing before a picture of Siddons which I was ostensibly admiring with enthusiasm. There was a becoming

ooking at. "It is unpardonable vulgar and rude of you to take exception to any dances on the programme, as if Mrs. Hartmann would allow an

f for nothing, you may be sure I shall not disgrace you, but I am

uadrille and the lancers, that I had given to Mr. Haliburton, I had amused myself as best I could, talking to some prosy relatives of the fami

away into the crowd. I was beginning to feel tired

same time, when my eyes suddenly fell. I saw someone in the distance watching my movements, someone who had evidently just come in. He was not a young man, and yet he was hardly old. I had not time to take further notice of his appearance, for the music ceased and we began the last frolicsome figure of our dance. As I passed into the conservatory later on Mr. Haliburto

s but for a moment; I would have time to reaso

g posture again. I took an ivy leaf between my fingers and toyed nervously with it I waited for a confirmation of my worst fears, that my step-mother had followed me and heard me sigh, but there was no one. When all was quiet again I ventured to look carefully around.

vely, and then stopped suddenly s

essed excitement, the bench was between us. He

is it

I gave him my small hands, for they were small when he had gathered t

!" he exclaimed, moving one end of the rustic seat to let me pass. I had forgotten all about Mr. Halibu

eagerly, sitting down beside him and loo

words were meaningless to me, but then they had always been so when we were friends long ago. "You are changed too Mr. Dalton," I retorted reciprocatingly. "At firs

nquiry. "Well, Amey, so have I missed you, at least I have often thought of you in my travels and wondered how you were getting on. I

ber all that well enough. We are all a little sill

know how prone human nature is to folly-yet, when you

y ancient," I exclaimed, maki

my knee some fifteen years ago, but do not tell that of me, like a good child," h

and laughing carelessly, and then, half sorry for having uttered these w

ion that was forcing itself into my mind with regard to Mr. Dalton. There was certainly some restraint over him, and the look in his clear, soft blue eyes was not so steady as it used to be. And yet, what could I expect from him more than he had given me? I did not know, but it seemed that after our long, long separation, he

ton paused and looked at the gay scene before us. He had seemingly forgotten me, while his thoughts were busy with t

quite reached me, "have you for

give it to Dr. Campbell. I bowed and smiled as at our first introductio

cefully away. My father had vanished before him, and thus w

the awkward silen

introduction, Miss Hampden, t

d stupidly, not knowin

he next asked, in a most compo

d I. "I am exclusi

our me," he interrupted blandly, l

my words were. "I mean with regard to the danc

erential way that I know I smiled approvingly as I slipped my hand within his arm and went with him into the little ante-room oppos

o the fender, and Dr. Campbell moving one gently towards

ire was full upon his face and form, and feeling secure in the shadow of a fancy screen that

outh was admirably set off by well-curved brown moustaches. His chin was bare but for one little bit under the lower lip. He was caressing this seeming favorite with one white, slender hand, almost fine enoug

he national peculiarities and idiosyncracies which she covets, in order to assert herself freely, as the mother of a people who bear her resemblance stamped upon their mental and moral features. When a country has succeeded in fixing a seal upon the brow of every son that is born to her, she has secured the right of bein

w he gained that prestige which made conquests for him wherever he went. Truly, I did not believe him a very widely informed man, but he was a man of fixed principles and a man of ambition. Moreover he had a wonde

-room, with our feet on her polished brass fender, we learned much of one another'

se from my bouquet. He saw us to our carriage when we we

tedious summary of m

he rest of the company. All this, along with my own private conclusions, went far towards helping me to make up my mind, once for all, that I had gone to my last "dance." And to be candid I must admit that it was no effort whatever for me to abstain from these would-be pleasures. They were lit