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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 330, 1 November 1862, Page 5

CHAPTEB IV.

Maveeley's regiment was the first dragoons who had ever been stationed at Shallowell, and they had been feted a great deal. They therefore considered it incumbent upon them to give a ball. Officers' balls are always a success. It is an understood thing that everything is to be praised and nothing is to be criticised. Eoerybody comes prepared to enjoy himself, and the majority generally succeed. The number of determined-to-be-agreeable hosts pi-opitiates the fair sex. and all possible partners are always made available. It is true that some appear to take the character of steward, only to be able to introduce themselves to any pretty girl they don't know, but those are the exception' who prove the rule.

llingston had declined the invitation at first, "but Maverley made it a personal matter that he should show himself.

The Shallowell Assembly Rooms are unusually crowded. That watering-place can always show a fail- amount of beauty ; but to-night the ranks of the belles are swelled by many drafts from the county families.

Laura Etlieredge holds her own against all comers. She is undoubtedly the belle of the room. In a pause of a quadrille, her eyes fall upon a pale face which rests against a pillar opposite. We have said that Kingston was an elegantlooking man. His pose at this momeut is graceful in the extreme, though evidently unstudied. Laura looks at him. She sees that he has evidently forgotten where he is, and takes advantage of his unconscious state to examine him critically. The breeze of the whirling dresses almost stirs his black curls ; but he does not note the fair dancer.3 as they pass.

There is something in an expression of utter abstraction which always excites curiosity. Where are the thoughts which are not with us? Laura had ridiculed a dozen times at least the Kingston story, and yet now that she gazes upon its hero, she can scarcely drive back from her heart a feeling of terror. She goes mechanically through the quadrille, but she sees nothing but that face.

In vain her partner turns on an even-flowing stream of regulation nothings into her ear. She does not hear a word ; and, at last, answers an elaborate criticism on a new prima donua which he has learut by heart from yesterday's Times by saying —

" Yes, quite black."

The irreproachable lieutenant treasured this as afact, HBadVavoiding any display of ignorance at the time, Tie sought his newspaper on his return home to see if he had omitted to notice that Mademoiselle' Lopranetti was a coloured artiste. The- last figure of the quadrille is drawing to a close, when Kingston changes his position, and their eyes meet.

Have you ever watched eyes, which as they wake from sleep kindle into love beneath your own ?

Some such sparkle gleamed in Kingston's, before Laura could withdraw her gaze. She saw the trance fade in an instant, and the light of life come back.

At the same moment the thought crossed her mind, "If I were destined to claim him back from death ! "

She sits by her chaperon for a moment ; the next Kingston was before her with a steward by his side.

" Miss Etheredge, Mr. Kingston." " Can you possibly spare me a dance, Miss Etheredge 1 "

" I can give you the next — a waltz, I think."

What could it have been that induced Laura to keep herself disengaged for that dance, when she had enough petitions made to her to fill her card over and over again, before she had been in the room five minutes 1 What answer would she have made to herself ? She must have said that she liked to keep one dance in, case some one came in late, with whom she might wish to dance. Had she any idea who the "some one" was to be?

■ It was evident that at some previous period of his 'existence Mr. Kingston had liked dancing much better than he had professed to do since he had resided at Shallowell.

" How they go ! " said Snaffleton. " Fine action. Do for a curricle," replied Captain Maverley.

" I thought you never danced, Mr. Kingston," said Miss Etheredge, as the music ceased.

" I did not think I should ever dance again," he replied, and the dark cloud passed over his face once more. ' .

She shuddered. " Can he allude," she thought, "to the story of his approaching death." •

But he seemed to shake the gloom off with an effort, and began to talk. Supper was announced before the next dance, and he took her down, and soon established her in a safe and particularly comfortable corner. He then seated himself deliberately in front of her, so as almost to cut her off from the rest of the room. A glance brought Maverley'a servant to his side. " Wait upon us," he said ; and that judicious attendant obeyed him with the most perfect disregard of everybody else, his master included.

Laura Etheredge was not the girl to stand being "appropriated" in the manner we have described under ordinary circumstances or by an ordinary individual, but there are some people whom no one ever thinks of opposing, and Arthur Kingston was one of them. His charge was not. unhappy in her prison ; the more they talked the brighter Kingston became, till at last he seemed to regain " his old form."

For the days were not long passed since many bright eyes looked brighter when that dark face bent over them.

And certainly Laura lingered an unconscionably long time over her jelly, considering that a sometime'favourite partner was waiting to claim her hand for a galope ; and more suspicious still, when that was concluded she allowed herself to be persuaded to take Bozne grapes. Now all ladies know that grapes may be made

to last exactly &6 long as the consumer likes. When all the ladies had left the supper-room except one dowager who was evidently watching them, Ringston felt that it would not do any longer, and they Returned to the ball-room. Miss Etheredge introduced Kingston, to her mother. "We shall have a few friends next Friday, Mr. Ringston ; but I suppose it would be quite a compliment to ask you to join us." " I should be delighted, I assure you, though I do not often go out ; but " — and here a shade darker than she had yet seen seemed to Laura to cloud his face — "but I am compelled to refuse." In vain she tried .to force it back, the thought ■would come, " The year must be near!}' past."

The supper had lasted so long that Miss Etheredge's dancing engagements, according to her " correct card,'* had been terribly disregarded. There was, therefore, an animated debate between three gentlemen, who all claimed her hand for the next dance. Kingston suggested that if she put an end to the dispute by dancing with him, no one could be offended, but Laura did not agree with him. The fortunate candidate carried her oil" in triumph at last, and Kingston sat down to converse with Mrs. Etheredge. That lady told her daughter the next morning that she could not imagine why people talked such nonsense about Mr. Ringston, for she found him a veiy seusible and agreeable person. Laura danced twice, and then she said she should^ like to go home. Ringston took her to the carriage. After the ladies were in, a minute elapsed before they could start. What could induce the belie of Shallowell to repeat an invitation, which had once been declined ? Yet it is certain that Laura leant- out of the window, and murmured —

" Shall we not see you on Friday ? "

A whisper, " Alas, no ! " a deep sigh ; a pressure of the hand ; and they are parted — she cannot escape the thought — perhaps for ever.