The Real Charlotte. 185 



** Well now, I think it's a pity you didn't let it alone," said 

 Mr. Lynch, with something resembling a wink at Miss 

 Mullen. 



" I daresay Bessy's very much of your opinion," said 

 Charlotte^ unable to refrain from a jibe at Miss Corkran, 

 pre-occupied though she was with her own wrath. She 

 pushed her chair brusquely back from the table. " I think, 

 with your kind permission, Mrs. Beattie, I'll go upstairs and 

 see what's going on. Don't stir, ]Mr. Lynch, I'm able to get 

 that far by myself." 



When Miss Mullen arrived at the top of the steep flight 

 of stairs, she paused on the landing amongst the exiled 

 drawing-room chairs and tables, and looked in at seven or 

 eight couples revolving in a space so limited as to make 

 movement a difficulty, if not a danger, and in an atmosphere 

 already thickened with dust from the carpet. She saw to 

 her surprise that her cousin was dancing with Lambert, and, 

 after a careful survey of the room, espied Mr. Hawkins 

 standing partnerless in one of the windows. 



" I wonder what she's at now," thought Charlotte to her- 

 self ; " is she trying to play Roddy off against him? The 

 little cat, I wouldn't put it past her ! " 



As she looked at them wheeling slowly round in the 

 cramped circle she could see that neither he or Francie spoke 

 to each other, and when, the dance being over, they sat 

 down together in the corner of the room, they seemed 

 scarcely more disposed to talk than they had been when 

 dancing. 



^' Aha ! Roddy's a good fellow," she thought, "he's doing 

 his best to help me by keeping her away from that young 

 scamp." 



At this point the young scamp in question crossed the 

 room and asked Miss Fitzpatrick for the next dance in a 

 manner that indicated just displeasure. The heat of the 

 room and the exertion of dancing on a carpet had endued 

 most of the dancers with the complexions of ripe plums^ 

 but Francie seemed to have been robbed of all colour. She 

 did not look up at him as he proffered his request. 



" I'm engaged for the next dance." 



Hawkins became very red. " Well, the next after that," 

 he persisted, trying to catch her eye. 



