"I am fifteen years old to-night," she answered; "and as yet I have not
set eyes upon him."

"How do you know that, madam?" he said, bowing lower still.

She laughed her great rich laugh.

"Forsooth, I do not know," she retorted. "He may be here this very night
among this company; and as it might be so, I go to don my modesty."

And she bestowed on him a parting shot in the shape of one of her
prettiest young fop waves of the hand, and was gone from him.

* * * * *

When the door closed behind her and Sir John Oxon returned to the table,
for a while a sort of dulness fell upon the party. Not being of quick
minds or sentiments, these country roisterers failed to understand the
heavy cloud of spleen and lack of spirit they experienced, and as they
filled their glasses and tossed off one bumper after another to cure it,
they soon began again to laugh and fell into boisterous joking.

They talked mostly, indeed, of their young playfellow, of whom they felt,
in some indistinct manner, they were to be bereft; they rallied Sir
Jeoffry, told stories of her childhood and made pictures of her budding
beauties, comparing them with those of young ladies who were celebrated
toasts.

"She will sail among them like a royal frigate," said one; "and they will