The Real Charlotte. 187 



with a tearing pam at her heart. Her lips were set in a 

 fixed smile — a smile that barely kept their quivering in 

 check — and her beautiful eyes shone upon the dazzled 

 curate through a moisture that was the next thing to 

 tears. 



" I want to find Miss Mullen," she said at last, dragging 

 Mr. Corkran towards the stairs, when a fresh burst of 

 applause from the dancing-room made them both look back. 

 Hawkins' two partners had, at a critical turn, perfidiously 

 let him go with such suddenness that he had fallen flat on 

 the floor, and having pursued them as they polkaed round 

 the room, he was now encircling both with one arm, and 

 affecting to box their ears with his other hand, encouraged 

 thereto by cries of " Box them, Mr. Hawkins ! " from Mrs. 

 Beattie. " Box them well ! " 



Charlotte was in the dining-room, partaking of a 

 gentlemanly glass of Marsala with Mr. Beattie, and other 

 heads of families. 



*' Great high jinks they're having upstairs ! " she remarked, 

 as the windows and tea-cups rattled from the stamping 

 overhead, and Mr. Beattie cast many an anxious eye 

 towards the ceiling. " I suppose my young lady's in the 

 thick of it, whatever it is ! " She always assumed the 

 attitude of the benevolently resigned chaperon when she 

 talked about Francie, and Mr. Lynch was on the point of 

 replying in an appropriate tone of humorous condolence, 

 when the young lady herself appeared on Mr. Corkran's 

 arm, with an expression that at once struck Charlotte as 

 being very unlike high jinks. 



'' Why, child, what do you want down here ? " she said. 

 " Are you tired dancing ? " 



"I am ; awfully tired ; would you mind going home, 

 Charlotte ? " 



" What a question to ask before our good host here ! Of 

 course I mind going home ! " eyeing Francie narrowly as 

 she spoke ; " but I'll come if you like." 



" Why, what people you all are for going home ! " pro- 

 tested Mr. Beattie hospitably ; " there was Hawkins that 

 we only stopped by main strength, and Lambert slipped 

 away ten minutes ago, saying Mrs. Lambert wasn't well, and 

 he had to go and look after her ! What's your reverence 



