something more enduring, Captain, while the way lies open. For my part, I may say, without egotism, a pledge of friendship exists between us too well founded in confidence to be easily disallowed; and I have no doubt she has looked forward to my return to renew a topic she showed much interest in the morning I left some Florence van Waddlevurst, laying aside a certain air of indifference to general admiration which somehow had of late begun to invest her with a something of exclusiveness quite at variance with the policy of a reigning belle, became suddenly what all young ladies have it in them to be when they choose (or can)-a most egregious flirt. But let it be understood, if she | here, when Gossimer coming in interrupted our appeared a flirt, she was no coquette-that word tête-à-tête." being somewhat less generic in signification, and saddled with more odium She made nobody particularly miserable, and cheated none with delusive hopes of success; and her smiles were quite equally distributed-"a devilish deal too equally," Rudder growled, who fancied himself likely to be eclipsed by the butterflies about her, whom he honestly despised. He told Pawley, on his (Pawley's) return from a fortnight's visit to a neighboring watering-place, that Miss Florence was in a fair way to be spoiled by flattery, he was afraid, there was always such a set of dandies about her; and how she could tolerate their small-talk he could not imagine. The truth was, she was nearly the only sensible young lady he knew at Saratoga, and he would feel rather lost with no one to converse rationally with. It was a great bore to be elbowed out of a pleasant acquaintance just as one had got on sociable terms, and to be driven elsewhere. All which and more he confided to Pawley; for the Captain was not in love, or supposed himself not to be, and really regretted the loss of those friendly têtes-à-tête, for their own sakes alone. Moreover, if he had inclined to be jealous as a lover, he would have spoken with no less freedom to Mr. Edward, having been already assured by that faithful swain-in subversion of certain sly jokes of the Captain'sthat "insurmountable obstacles prevented his ever thinking of marrying." Hm! prior unhappy attachment, maybe, Rudder thought; and refrained from saying more on a subject which might be more painful than he knew. It was Pawley who laughed at the Captain's grumbling, and felt unselfishly pleased at learning the estimation in which his friend was held. "She has been always considered remarkably pretty, of course," he said; "but of late she has seemed too quiet and sedate for what people call a reigning belle. Perhaps she may have lost a friend," our hero added, sagaciously, knocking the ashes off his cigar and nodding "Depend upon it, Captain, all grief is not lasting, and society and forgetfulness are bringing back her spirits." "Well, she has vivacity, and wit, and all that, in plenty now," Rudder answered, with a sigh of which he may not have been conscious. "And I'll tell you what, she is so undeniably bewitching and lovable that I'm devilishly afraid our Platonics will be cut short one of these fine days by some one of her beaux offering himself and being accepted, and of course monopolizing her society altogether." "Are you?" the other cried, with a laugh; "then you had better abandon Platonics for But the Captain gave no answer, though his eye remained contemplatively fixed on his friend's face; he smoked assiduously, without desisting to say, "You're a lucky fellow !" as his thought was; and his first cigar being consumed, took another, and still puffed on and mused long after Mr. Edward had dropped off into a siesta in an arm-chair tilted against his bed. That same evening our hero paid his respects to Miss van W. in the ball-room, with the confidence of one in favor with a reigning beauty. Fair Florence was crossing the floor, her hand upon the arm of her partner-elect for a quadrille, and our friend walked a few paces by her side. " After so long an absence, you know,” he said, in conclusion, and almost in a whisper. "Have you really been long away?" the queen returned, provokingly. "What a pity it is I am engaged for the half dozen succeeding sets and promenades! Unless you wouldn't mind finishing your story before Mr. Skipp here, who will be very discreet if it's a secret, I dare say. What was it all about?-I think I remember you telling me something"-which was so near a fib, the story referred to having occupied no small share of her daily thoughts, that the speaker blushed a little in uttering it. And Pawley, surprised out of self-possession, came near exclaiming aloud, "What a flirt!" in the exuberance of his chagrin; and presently fell back among the crowd of idlers, not a little disconcerted. CHAPTER V. BUT if the hero of this tale prided himself on being faithful to his "unhappy attachment," Lieutenant Felt found cause for shifting his allegiance. A revolution-without bloodshed or tearshed, or much disturbance of any kind—was a common occurrence with him; somebody in muslin continually surrendering the sceptre to a riding-habit and ostrich feathers; or that galloping vision of loveliness giving place to a young lady who lisped perhaps, or sang divinely. In the present case it was not Cæsar who was loved less, but Rome more; he might have remained immovable in his passion for Miss Joy to time's end if Miss Gossimer, with her sentiment and ringlets and gabble, had not appeared on the stage. The Lieutenant, poor fellow, since his African cruise, entertained a sufficiently painful consciousness of his weakness, to feel more at ease in the company of a young lady who, inspirited by unwonted attentions, chattered about whatever nonsense came in her head, than with one of our heroine's tone of mind. So by degrees Felty left off petitioning Miss van W. to walk or ride, leaving bouquets at her door, or serenading before it. He hired a piebald pony, which passed for his own, expressly on Miss Gossimer's account; filled her sittingroom with flowers, and chanted his "Good-neet" to his guitar almost nightly under, or rather before, her windows. It will be remembered that the Gossimers and Vans occupied contiguous lodgings and shared a common parlor; consequently Florence was still a party to the serenades, and it was upon her piano and mantleshelf the Lieutenant's proofs of his constancy were arrayed. It was consequently a perplexing question at the first how to make known his change of sentiments. He might go on forever leaving bouquets to be appropriated by Miss Florence, and it was so deuced awkward telling a young lady you meant your attentions for somebody else. "What would you do in such a case, Captain ?" he asked; and Rudder affected much indignation. "You'll ruin the credit of the service, Sir! Only last week you had the impudence to tell Miss Gossimer, whom you knew to be on good terms and likely to repeat your nonsense, that a more perfect woman did not breathe, and a good deal more of the same stuff. I was sitting on the back bench at the Tableaux vivantes, and couldn't help overhearing. And now you go making love to the very young lady you tried to get to speak up for you!-it's past believing!" trunk a year without use. No, Jove! that's too big a one! Somebody gave it to me the other day, but it's no business of yours to ask who." "It's no business of mine, to be sure," Rudder answered; "but it don't need a ghost to tell who was the giver. I could swear to the work, if needful; and prettier hands than did this you won't easily find. I suppose you don't care to find prettier ?-you'll be contented to get one of these, and you seem deuced likely to do it too." "Give me the pouch and hold your jaw," the owner replied. "I didn't gratify you with my company to be quizzed. Let us hear what you called me in for-what's the joke that set you haw-hawing till you woke half the Row ?" "Felty and I were discussing-as a matter of theory you know-what we would do in a given case. Suppose two ladies occupied lodgings in common, and one should be a former sweet-heart, and the other one for the time being. How would you manage to prevent the first from appropriating the attentions you wished to pay the second, especially if there had been no previous breaking off, you understand? Or, to make the thing clear; if I wanted to send a bouquet to Miss B., where I knew Miss A. (who had been in the habit of getting them) would be, what plan should I adopt to avoid mistakes, eh? It ain't a very likely case, but supposing it probable." And Trout responded with a grin and surveyed the Lieutenant, who, seated sideways on his bed with the blue ribbon of his guitar across his shoulder, was strumming and attending to the con "I think as highly of Miss van Waddlevurst as ever, Captain," Felty answered, with becoming gravity, "and have no doubt of her perfec-versation. tion as a woman. But Miss Gossimer is an angel!" 66 "Why you've used the same language about every one of them," Rudder exclaimed, bursting into a laugh; at which the occupant of the next chamber knocked upon the partition-wall, and growled out, "What the devil's all that hawhawing about?" "Look at him," he said; "why he's been serenading before the house you are trying to mystify three nights in a week, and I never once suspected him of having changed his love. You needn't deny it, Captain, his looks betray him-and he is the only man I know who could imagine such a dilemma. I suppose he wants to send flowers now, and don't want to write a "Trout is an eminently practical man; sup-note-don't want to commit himself. Jove! pose we find out what he would do in your case. he'd better label the nosegays, and sing a preWe needn't mention names," the Captain sug-lude to his songs to the effect they are for Miss gested, in an under-tone; and Felty assenting, invited that gentleman to a conference. "Do you suppose I would put on my things such a day as this to come to a confab?" Trout rejoined, and consigned the pair to what Rudder called warm latitudes. "Pooh! run a muck; nobody's about to see you," the Captain cried. what's the lady's name?" "Every thing is fair in war," the Lieutenant lisped from the bed. "You tell tales out of school, and expect me to keep your secret. Captain, did you ever hear Mr. Trout play on the violin ?" "No, and I ain't sure I would like to," Rudder made answer. "Well, look out and make sure none of the womenkind are out of doors," Felty's neigh- "He thinks he draws a bow like Paganini. bor answered; and the Captain, taking an ob- I rather think he takes lessons from one of the servation and stating the coast to be clear, Trout fiddlers in the band here, for he's gone an hour bolted in, habited in a cool undress, and with an or two every day nobody knows where. And embroidered cigar-case in his hand, from which of nights he gets me now and then to accomhe supplied the company and himself. "Pret-pany him in front of a certain door-you can ty, ain't it?" he said-meaning the case, which guess whose." Rudder was eying-"the work of fair fingers." Yes, and new," the Captain put in. "New!" Trout returned, blushing redder than his wont, if possible; "I've had it in my 66 "Haw, haw!" laughed Rudder; "why don't he use a violoncello? it would have a grand effect, and wake us all up to enjoy the sport." "And express the greatness of his passion," Felty added, attempting the air, "Love let us self any uneasiness then and afterward had he cherish." "I'll tell you what," Trout cried, beginning to feel nettled, "I don't mind your jokes on any other subject; but where a lady's name is concerned regard for the sex forbids familiar discussion. And Jove! for a man who lives in a glass house, you're devilish liberal with your flings, Rudder. You suppose nobody observes you screwed in around the waist to look slima thing you never will be-bobbing and bowing to the young lady, who puts me in mind of the scene between Prince Hal and Falstaff where Sir John sits for the King." "Reminds you how?" the Captain asked, glumly. "Why she wears a cushion on her head," Trout returned, referring to Miss van W.'s style of dressing her hair à la Pompadour; a witticism originating with the nimble-tongued widow, as Rudder at once divined. "I suppose Janey Joy told you that," he said, dryly; "the lady you criticise I esteem as a friend, not more; but whether common regard for the sex' forbids or not I beg you will speak more reverently of her in future.". "And I beg you not to mention Miss Joythat is, the Countess Kreeper-at all in my hearing," Trout cried, growing warm. Indeed these two champions were in a fair way to obtain a public award of the cap paraded at the beginning of this tale; for the Lieutenant, lying back on his pillow, absorbed in his meditations and in the strains drawn from his favorite instrument, continued oblivious of what was going on, when the opportune entrance of a tray, ordered by their host, and containing among other good things couple of bottles of iced Champagne, restored a better state of feeling, as Trout was not slow to acknowledge. "I'm hasty, and Jove! I ought not to have said what I did just now, Captain," he said, aside; and the Captain, clinking their glasses together with perfect bonhomie, responded, "Pooh! pooh! let's forget it. It was not to the credit of either of us, and I am sorry for my share, Trout, my boy." It was during this conversation that Miss Gossimer's lover formed the plan of his campaign, like an able officer as he was. The Lieutenant was not above taking a hint even from a jest, and determined to send his card attached to each bunch of flowers in future, inscribed on the upper side to Miss Charlotte Gossimer. And of course, knowing who the flowers were for and from whom they came, would afford a sufficient clew to the party chiefly interested to discern whose was the solo on the guitar, and for whose ear intended. "I only hope she is not much interested in me yet," Felty thought with some compunction when writing the first of these labels, and speculated on the possibility of our heroine's reading the address, and struck to the heart by the evidence of his perfidy, lapsing into hysterics or a fainting fit. But the soft-hearted Lieutenant might have spared him known the truth, which, if nothing worse, was not flattering to his vanity. Florence only laughed when she saw it, which she did before any one, the bouquet being brought to her in accordance with custom, and placed the flowers in water on the piano with the card conspicuously displayed; and Miss Gossimer, who was out visiting at the time, on her return read it while drawing off her gloves, and exclaimed, "Oh la !" and was evidently quite tickled and flustered. "You may be sure those serenades we hear so often are for you too," our heroine then said when Charlotte had run in to show her friend her trophy. "And I rather think none of the bouquets which preceded this were really mine, although sent in my name. Very likely it may have been an error of the servant's all along, or your Damon may have wished to bribe me with flowers (a pretty piece of diplomacy, isn't it?) to plead his cause." "Do you really think so? Oh dear! he is a very impertinent fellow-that he is: and I should not like it to come to the ears of a certain person (not Clarendon, my love), who might take him to task for it," Miss Charlotte replied; and twisted her ringlets and smirked coquettishly before the glass, after which fit of admiration she went off humming a tune to affect that this sort of thing was no novelty to her. Florence, it may be noted, had evinced more amusement than curiosity when Miss Gossimer referred to the jealousy of a "certain person;" from long familiarity with that young lady's habit of ascribing meaning to very ordinary attentions from the other sex, and of throwing out allusions which might lead you to suppose she had only to choose out of half a dozen suitors for her hand. But in the present instance, for a wonder, Miss Gossimer's tender anticipations were more real than usual, and the Lieutenant, even aided by his pony and guitar, ran no little hazard of being distanced by a rival whose strong points lay in his elegance of person, and unmistakable ease of address; to say nothing of the extraordinary social advantages it would remain with him to throw open to the lady whose happy privilege it should be one day to write "Mrs. R. De la Rue Slipper" upon her cards. Slipper had been making some inquiries of Captain Rudder, who, owing to the roving life he had led, seemed to know something of people from all points of the compass. "She is of a deuced high family, the Captain said; her father was a Senator, and the family are so proud, I've heard they rather thought the Government or the electors, I don't know which, honored by one of them serving. They live in style, too, at home, I am told, and Miss Gossimer dresses dashily and carries herself with quite a tonnish air. I was only introduced to them here the afternoon they came." "Yes, I remember meeting you," Slipper re plied. "She has rather a tonnish look which I think might be developed into something suitable to the atmosphere of our avenues. Her gait wants culture-there is too much spring in her ankle when she walks at present. Don't you think so?" "Did you ever handle a yard-stick?" Rudder asked. "You measure every thing by a measure of your own. Deuce take your complaisance! If Miss G. had known your criticism on her gait, I'll be bound she would not have asked me who you were (with a complimentary prefix, Slipper, my lad), and declare New York was such a sweet place!" the possible delight of an inamorata who, for all you knew, might be sleeping through the whole of it with her night-cap drawn over her ears. "And I would see any woman far enough before compromising my self-respect to that extent," was his usual comment. So Felty had the field to himself during his serenades, and sang songs in accordance with the depression or elevation of his hopes. Slipper tooted a little on his flute, however, and the flute made a good accompaniment to the piano-the same rickety instrument Florence had played Mademoiselle's tunes on, but now scarce ever touched. "Really it was so out of tune-could not Mr. Pawley excuse "I am indebted to Miss Gossimer for the her till they chanced to meet over a better piacompliment, whatever it was," Slipper made an- no?" and there again these rival powers were swer. "I was presented to her the other even-in equipoise. Poor Felty had never loved being, and, I must say, was rather struck with her fore, in comparison with his present attachment appearance." to Miss Gossimer; he fairly idolized her flaunting person as it moved before his eyes, and imagined her muslin skirt and blue mantle floating by left the atmosphere fragrant, as might the clothing of some celestial being; that old trick of the curls, too, wafted back from her cheeks by the breeze when she walked bonnetless, was something he was never tired of beholding or recalling. He even envied Slipper the privilege of running about on her errands; for, with the instinct of a thorough coquette, Miss Charlotte perceived whom the office of lackey would most distress, and allowed the Lieutenant to dawdle about her and pick up her handkerchief, or fan her at the piano, when his competitor was on duty out of doors. This errand-running was none of the other's seeking, and caused him to reflect more than once on the expediency of making his bow, and denying Miss Charlotte the advantages of writing her name De la Rue Slipper. He was dispatched every where-to a neighboring country-town to purchase a few pounds of maple-sugar, of which Miss Gossimer professed herself extravagantly fond; desired to run across with a roll of music or borrowed nov "And"-Slipper might have added, but did not "I heard she was rich as Croesus, and thought I'd question you a little, Captain. It does not do to tell, but I don't roll in riches myself, and I would like to have the fear of coming to want or earning my bread professionally, which is much the same, off my mind. If she is all you say-and I've no doubt of your veracity-highly connected and living in great style at home, she will suit, of course; and I must give up my case a little, and see what can be done while the sun shines. It is well to look out for the chances." dor at the time, and the Judge Joneses occupying apartments at the farther end of the village); or sent to beat up recruits for a riding party or excursion somewhere. In accordance with which purpose Mr. Slipper, hitherto rather a cool observer of the young ladies who nightly disported themselves in the ball-room, and of afternoons in the walks, whose charms he appeared to disparage, devoted no small share of his time and energy, such as it was, to the conquest. To say the truth, it required both to keep pace with Miss Charlotte's demands; a slave to her charms was too much of a novelty in that young lady's experience to be let off with trifling services. Slipper, of course, could not stand by and see Miss Gossimer seat-el (an August sun shining in undimmed splened for want of a partner, and consequently was forced to take his place with the rest on the chalked floor, despite his gentlemanly contempt for the performance; and as it happened, too, the honor in question being mostly shared between the Lieutenant and himself, he danced nightly a great deal more often than suited his comfort, to say nothing of his inclination. Felty might have laughed, remembering Slipper's philippic against quadrilles; but the joke lost its point in the rivalry it bore witness to. "A man," he thought, "would not so utterly sacrifice his individuality unless hopelessly smitten, and bent on prosecuting his suit to extremity." And the Lieutenant, whose cravat hung in a sailor's knot, noted with envy the neat tie of the other's bow, and found cause for despondency in the impudently easy conversation of the fascinating dandy. If there was one thing abhorred by Slipper more than capering to music it was producing music at the still hours of night, as he said, for That astute observer, the Captain, long practiced in feminine arts, saw from time to time what was going on, and derived much amusement from it. "By the lord Harry! the conceit will be taken out of him," he said, with a chuckle, when Slipper was obliged to dismount in front of their quarters to recover her whip. "She enjoys it amazingly too. Felty, my lad, what the deuce are you moping here for, over your everlasting guitar, instead of riding on the other side of Miss Gossimer, and dividing the spoil?" "I have loaned out both my horses; he asked in her name, and I could not well refuse," the Lieutenant returned, lugubriously. At which the old campaigner stared with surprise, and then laughed until the tears ran down his weather-beaten cheeks. CHAPTER VI. old gentleman sleeps with the Capulets. I make it a rule never to reply definitely to the inquiries of your avowed fortune-seekers, but in this case I know the dove is able to guard her own nest; and, by Jove! the youngsters will be flayed alive some of them. She has a lively little tongue and a will of her own, and can look as wicked as you please when out of humor; but, after all, she has done nothing to compromise her, and I'd like to see her better received than she is by some of her sex here." MR. EDWARD PAWLEY, if something surprised by our heroine's reception of himself in the ball-room the evening of his return, and perhaps a little chagrined, was not much hurt, and, not caring to dance, took his place at an open window and looked on. Miss van Waddlevurst was evidently a belle, and held a little court of her own, toward which more than one envious glance was directed from less favored damsels, whom no one offered to escort from under shadow of mamma's stately turban or bebowed cap. Pawley, despite his rebuff, saw with satisfaction that his capricious friend made no pretense to the usual languishing graces of watering-place queens, and that there was nothing like ennui apparent among her hangers-on; she was the reigning belle, not through sufferance, but in virtue of her own right. And so the Cap-ed a careless sort of respect for his reputed taltain, who had been to cool himself with something iced, after resigning her to the next aspirant, said, over the other's shoulder, "By the lord Harry, look at that woman!" He added, with a broad grin, "She affords as strong contrast as night to day. Did you ever see such wriggling, and monkeyfied airs!" And our hero looked and laughed too, at sight of Miss Gossimer parceling a bouquet between her two beaux, and rapping Slipper's fingers playfully with her fan, when that elegant gentleman affected to be ill-pleased with his share. "I thought you hinted pretty broadly this afternoon that Miss van Waddlevurst was in a fair way to be spoiled," Rudder's companion remarked, after a pause. "And so would I," Pawley answered; and to say the truth, if he did not seek the society of the ex-Countess, he seldom avoided it, and had crossed rapiers in friendly fashion more than once with that clever swordswoman, by which exercise his blood had been quickened and some moody thoughts occasionally routed. The little widow, too, rather liked him, and entertain ents, and, by contrast, gravity of demeanor; and when Rudder on this occasion excused his tardiness by mentioning the pleasant talk with Mr. Edward, which had caused him to overlook the fact of the places being taken, the lady laughed, and said she was content to dance at the lower end of the hall since he had been improving his mind. It happened that on this occasion the position selected by, or assigned to, Florence was immediately in front of the window whence our friend stood looking on after the conversation with the Captain; and as observation begets criticism, so does criticism under unfavorable circumstances lead to no good tone of mind. "What a gabbling and simpering those men "Yes-in a fair way; but not very likely to keep up!" our young gentleman commented. be, on the whole," the Captain rejoined, apolo-"Who are they? There's Felt introducing getically. "It takes a sound head and heart somebody-confound him! I wonder if he asktoo, though, to resist such cajolery; if she weath-ed permission first. Well, it's no concern of ers it, it will be the first reigning belle-and I've danced with scores of them-who wasn't spoiled by worship, even if it's the worship of apes. I suppose, though, she will make somebody a lucky man before that happens. But what the deuce have you been doing with yourself? I've been half the evening wondering why you did not pay your respects." "I did once," Pawley said, "but she seemed in no especial need of my attentions. I asked her to dance, and she told me she was engaged for six at least." "Why didn't you ask for the seventh, then? Lord, man, don't you know you must accommodate yourself to a queen's caprices, not a queen's to yours?" To which our hero answered by a scarce perceptible shrug. "Well, I've no time to talk now, for the floor is beginning to be occupied, and I have the little widow in charge this turn. I'll tell you what, she is becoming a devilish stylish belle, and will run our charming friend hard for the sovereignty after a little. No less than a dozen young fellows have cross-questioned me about her fortune, which I answered them, as I had heard, to be truly colossal-or will be when the VOL. XXVIII.-No. 163.-D mine." All which and more may be put into other words, thus: Mr. Edward Pawley found himself out of humor with a remark dropped by Rudder, and none the less so because unable to justify his sense of annoyance. It would have pleased him in his present mood, for example, to undervalue the efforts of the best small-talkers in the room, supposing that person to be conversing with Miss Van. And although he had pronounced Miss van W.'s affairs no concern of his-as they were not-would very like have been glad to know whom Rudder meant, or whether there were any real foundation for the rumor he had mentioned. If Florence meditated marriage her smiling sang froid may have been assumed to give quiet warning that confidences of a certain sort would be less in place thenceforward. Or might not her manner of receiving him—now that he recalled the circumstances so immediately subsequent to his frank avowal-be the consequence of-of, should he say, pique? Pique may not have been the word our hero first thought of, but it answered as well as another, and spared his blushes perhaps. It would have been rather a stretch of vanity, certainly, to suppose a reigning belle and young |