iS6 The Real Chai-lotte. 



"There isn't any next," said Francie, looking suddenly at 

 him with defiant eyes ; " after the next we're going home." 



Hawkins stared for a brief instant at her with a sparkle of 

 anger in his eyes. " Oh, very well," he said with exaggerated 

 politeness of manner, " I thought I was engaged to you for 

 the first dance after supper, that was all." 



He turned away at once and walked out of the room, 

 brushing past Charlotte at the door, and elbowed his way 

 through the uproarious throng that crowded the staircase. 

 Mrs. Beattie, coming up from the tea-table with her fellow- 

 matrons, had no idea of permitting her prize guest to escape 

 so early. Hawkins was captured, his excuses were disre- 

 garded, and he was driven up the stairs again. 



" Very well," he said to himself, " if she chooses to throw 

 me over, I'll let her see that I can get on without her." It 

 did not occur to him that Francie was only acting in 

 accordance with the theory of the affair that he had himself 

 presented to Captain Cursiter. His mind was now wholly 

 given to revenging the snub he had received, and, spurred 

 by this desire, he advanced to Miss Lynch, who was reposing 

 in an armchair in a corner of the landing, while her partner 

 played upon her heated face with the drawing-room bellowS; 

 and secured her for the next dance. 



When Mr. Hawkins gave his mind to rollicking, there 

 were few who could do it more thoroughly, and the ensuing 

 polka was stamped through by him and Miss Lynch with a 

 vigour that scattered all opposing couples like ninepins. 

 Even his strapping partner appealed for mercy. 



" Oh, Mr. Hawkins," she panted, " wouldn't you chassy 

 now please ? if you twirl me any more, I think I'll die ! " 



But Mr. Hawkins was deaf to entreaty ; far from modera- 

 ting his exertions, he even snatched the eldest Miss Beattie 

 from her position as on-looker, and, compelling her to avail 

 herself of the dubious protection of his other arm, whirled 

 her and Miss Lynch round the room with him in a many- 

 elbowed triangle. The progress of the other dancers was 

 necessarily checked by this performance, but it was viewed 

 with the highest favour by all the matrons, especially those 

 whose daughters had been selected to take part in it. 

 Francie looked on from the doorway, whither she and her 

 partner, the Reverend Corkran, had been driven for safety. 



