“Very likely they are,” she answered r'fitly. 
“You know waltzes are like everything else: It 
you keep them seven years they will grow useful. 
But I hope you won’t ask ine, Mr. Blair, for I am 
not fond of dancing, and I should not like to refuse 
you on so short an acquaintance." 
“But you will sit. tills one out with me?” he 
said, eagerly. “ Thanks, very much.” 
Andrew Blair was a tall, unusually handsome 
man, midway between thirty and forty, and con¬ 
sequently In the prime of manhood. Tils manner 
was pleasant and frank, and US charm was In¬ 
creased by the bright smile which showed the 
strong white teeth; and by the rich, deep, musical 
voice. With a few, however, he was not a favor¬ 
ite; some people look very deep into things and 
faces, and read In the latter what others do not; 
and one physiognomist said that Mr. Blair was 
deep, crafty, unscrupulous, and revengeful; quick 
to resent, and slow to forget—a man who would 
treasure up an Injury, and revenge himself for It 
years after. 
•Jean McLeod was one of those persons whom he 
favorably Impressed; and she was rather In the 
habit of taking people on trust, and was too frank 
herself ever to suspect people or being other than 
they seemed. How bitterly, and at the cost of 
how much suffering she expiated that trust in 
after years, our story w ill tell; she bought her ex¬ 
perience at the cost of much happiness and almost 
of her life. 
The young scotch heiress had bright, laughing, 
wine-brown eyes, shaded by long lashes darker 
than her hair, which was of a rich, sunny, golden 
brown; her complexion was brilliantly fair and 
lovely; the soft bloom on her cheeks had not been 
spoilt by the dissipation of her London seasons, 
and men were wont to quote MJss MeLeocl as the 
perfection of healthful beauty. 
She was a flirt and yet no flirt. She met men 
with their own weapons; laughed, chatted, danced 
and sting; let them talk nonsense, and repaid them 
for It In their own coin ; but she was never known 
to lead a man on, and then throw him over, re¬ 
gardless of his pain. Her flirtation was partly un¬ 
conscious, partly careless, lap never with the in¬ 
tent to gratify her vanity at any cost. As Harold 
Kingston said, “she was a bonnle, sonsie lassie, 
with no nonsense about her.” Add to this that 
she rodo to perfection, was a capital “whip," a 
tolerable oars woman, that she danced like the 
Muse of dancing herself, and sang with a voice 
fresh and sweet as a lark’s, and you have a tolera¬ 
ble epitome or Mtss McLeod’s acquirements. 
“ 1 hope I am not preventing you dancing,” said 
Mr. Blair, in a moment,, speaking in that perhaps 
unconsciously lowered tone some men use when¬ 
ever they address a woman. 
“ Not at all. My performance is over for to¬ 
night, I believe. I have got through my duty- 
dances, and Lady Sholto has given me my liberty 
for the next half-hour.” 
“Lady Sholto!” remarks Mr. Blair. “Is she 
your chaperone ?” 
“ Yea; do you know her ?” 
“No; hut if her husband’s name is Arthur 
Crawford, we were at Eton together.” 
“ Then her husband’s name Is Arthur Crawford,” 
said Jean, with a gay laugh. “ I am sure he will 
be delighted to renew his old acquaintance with 
you, for he lathe most sociable of men.” 
“ He was a jolly fellow as a boy, I remember," 
said Mr. Blair. 
“And equally a jolly fellow as a man,” said Miss 
Method, merrily. “ I believe you are a country¬ 
man ot mine, Mr. Blair?” 
“Yes; although lor some years I have lived 
abroad. My place is not many miles from Sholto 
Hall, and my lather was a great chum of the late 
lord, who was living when l left England.” 
“ He died about, six years ago,” Jean said. “ We 
are all going to Sholto next month, I believe, or 
the month after,” she addpd. 
“Then as I am going to Blair Gatos for the 
shooting season, I hope I shall have the pleasure 
of meeting you,” Mr. Blair said, with a winning 
smile, 
“I hope so,” Jean said, with a laughing glance 
out of her brown eyes. “ Don’t you And it, very 
warm here?” 
"Yes. Mayl take you into cooler quarters?” 
he said, eagerly, half risiDg as he spoke. 
“ Where will you find them?” she asked laugh¬ 
ing. 
“In the conservatory,” he answered, readily. 
“1 am sure you will And It pleasanter there.” 
Jean rose, and slipped her little gloved hand 
through his arm. 
“Howshall you get there?” she said, laughing. 
“ It Is rather a difficult matter to pilot a train 
like mine through this crow d.” 
“ I will brave the difficulty,” he answered, In 
the same gay tone. •* I will steer you through 
If you trust yourself to me.” 
“Very well, l will submit to your guidance,” 
she rejoined, v and hold you responsible for the 
damage.” 
He laughed as he skllilully led her from the 
ball-room Into the softly-lighted, deserted con¬ 
servatory which was built out at one end, and 
which was quite empty when they reached it. 
Having placed Miss McLeod on a. seat, Mr. Blair 
threw hlmselt down beside luer with a long-drawn 
breath of pleasure and relief. 
“ Admirably done," Miss Jean said, approvingly, 
as she glanced down at the long, rich folds of 
Ivory silk which trailed beside, “ One would 
think you had been used to crowded ball-rooms 
in the bush, Mr. Blair." 
He laughed. 
“You will submit to my guidance again, I 
hope ?” he said, bending his head over her. 
“ Most readily,” said Jean, lightly. 
' “1 wish-” Mr. Blair began, then slopped 
suddenly. “ I beg your pardon,” he added In a 
moment; “I was going to say something foolish.” 
“lain used to hearing foolish things," Jean 
said, saucily. “Most people are in this sublun¬ 
ary sphere, M r. Blair.” 
“ Ain 1 to consider that as an encouragement to 
say something foolish ?” said Mr. Blair, bending 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
his black eyes upon her with unmistakable ad¬ 
miration lu their depths. 
“No,certainly not,” laughed Jean. “Only as 
a warning that 6ucli things are the memuaie 
courante of society, and that If you wish to be 
considered anything original you will not Indulge 
such a propensity.” 
Mr. Blair sighed a little ost entatiously. 
“ M r. Kingston is an old friend of yours, I think 
you said ?” said Jean. 
“ An old friend ?’’ lie repeated, rather absently. 
“Harold Kingston 7 Oh!,yes; r must apologise, 
Miss McLeod; I had forgotten all about him lor 
the moment.” 
There was an Implied compliment In his tone 
and words which made the comers of Jean’s 
pretty mouth curl lu a little smile. She was an 
excellent professor In the art oi flirting, was Miss 
Jean; and Mr. Blair was also a tolerable adept. 
She glanced at him, and their eyes met; hers 
laughing, saucy, and a trlile mocking; Ills full of 
an almost tierce admiration under which Jean’s 
long lashes drooped. 
“ Do people ever illrtln the bush, Mr. Blair?” 
she asked, demurely, playing with her fan. 
“J think that people flirt everywhere, Miss 
McLeod,” he answered, smiling. “It Is such a 
charming pastime that one is sure to mid its 
votaries In all climes; but,” he added, " am l un¬ 
fortunate enough to be so dreadfully awkward 
and boorish that you have made up your mind 
that i have cojpac straight from the busli?” 
“ You ate a clever angler, Mr. Blair,” laughed 
Jean; “hut you will not catch the compliment 
you are desirous ol obtaining Uils throw. You 
said you came Horn Australia; that always means 
l-he hush, does It not? The bush or a sheep 
farm?” 
Mr. Blair laughed. 
“ You acknowledge that they are two separate 
things then,” said lie, gaily. “ When did you 
leavo school, Miss McLeod? because you must 
have forgotten your geography 11 you be¬ 
lieve that Australia only contains two species 
of Inhabitants—sheep-fanners and bushrangers.” 
*• I forgot convicts," said Jean, laughingly, “ Ah ? 
Mr. Blair, It Is quite evident that you have been a 
long time abroad, or you would know that geog¬ 
raphy forms no part of the education of a young 
lady of the present day. I assure you If you were 
t,' put me through the capitals of Europe I should 
not be able to answer you correctly.” 
“ Nay, that I am sure Is a libel, Miss McLeod.” 
said her companion. “I must even take your 
parry against yourself.” 
“ When you know me better you will ltnd that 
I am not at all In the habit of detracting from my 
value,” answered Jean, with her sweet laugh. 
“ My friends say that no one knows better, or 
underslands more thoroughly fart de sc fa ire 
mlotr." 
“Then I will wait until we are friends before 
I form any Judgment, Miss McLeod,” he answered, 
adding, almost Immediately', “ that is if I ever 
dare be your friend.” 
Jean lifted her eyes a little haughtily ; but her 
cheek deepened in color a little, and she became 
suddenly intent on the fastening of one of her 
bracelets. 
There was a moment’s silence, which Mr. Blair 
broke. 
“ That is a pretty waltz they are playing,” he 
said. •* The last time I heard It was at a ball at 
Adelaide.” 
“Ah! then they have balls there,” exclaimed 
Jean, with the prettiest gesture of t riumph. “ I 
thought you were uot a novice In the art of steer¬ 
ing, Mr. Blair. I believe you can waltz equally 
well If you like. By-the-by, that reminds me that 
while I am lying perdue here, any unfortunate 
wight to whom 1 may have promised a dance, will 
be hunting lor mo in a state of distraction.” 
“ But you are not. going to dance again ?” 
“ No; but I have promised to do so ever so mauy 
times.” 
“ Do you ever keep promises?” he asked, laugh¬ 
ingly. 
“ Sometimes,” answered Jean, In the same tone, 
“ when it Is not Inconvenient.” 
As she spoke, the sound of a footfall, coming 
along the Indian matting, with which the con¬ 
servatory was carpeted, made Mr, jilair utter an 
exclamation of annoyance. 
“ I thought this paradise could not lust much 
longer,” he said, In a low, regretful tone. “ Here 
comes some one to disturb us. I hope you are a 
little sorry, Miss McLeod ?” 
“It is Lord Ivor,” said Jean, quietly, with the 
softest gleam of light coming Into her lovely eyes. 
“ Will you allow me to Introduce you to each 
other?” 
Mr. Blair bowed, and muttered something about 
“ most happy,” and “ honor, 1 am sure;” but the 
same thunder-cloud passed over his handsome 
face as he walled for the Intruder’s approach.—7’o 
Be Continued. 
so 
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WATERTOWN 
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WHOLESALE AGENCIES. 
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