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She was Audrey of the garden, and Haward, s, drew his rapier and

laid it in her hands She looked at the golden hilt, and passed her brown

fingers along the gleaave it back

to hi it, he took also the hand that had proffered it "I was not

laughing, child," he said "Go to the ball thou shalt, and withand fair Shalt have no pleasure"-"What pleasure in that?" cried Audrey "I o!"

She freed her hand, and stood with heaving bosom and eyes that very slowly

filled with tears Haward saw no reason for her tears It was true that

she was young and fair; true, also, that she had few pleasures Well, he

would change all that The dance,--was it not woven by those nymphs of

old, those sprites of open spaces in the deep woods, from whose immemorial

company she must have strayed into this present ti for her, for her theHer

welcome there amidst the tinsel people? Trust hireater things than that would be Go she should,

because it pleased him to please her, and because it was certainly

necessary for him to oppose pride with pride, and before the eyes of

Evelyn demonstrate his indifference to that lady's choice of Mr Lee for

the htfoot for the country dance This last thought had

far to travel froe of Audrey decked in silk and lace, turned by