going?"

"Well, I rather think so," was the other's reply. "It is a thousand
pities, however, to bury that lovely woman, Miss Effingham, in the
country. There is not her equal in town. If she only had a decent
allowance of cash or other property, she would have been sought for by a
Coronet, you may depend on that."

"But I heard," continued his friend, "that she was engaged to an Indian
Officer, who is expected in England shortly," and with these words they
passed out into the street.

On hearing this, Arthur determined to defer his visit a few hours
longer. There was a great rush of vehicles that night on the South side
of Berkly Square. The heavy family carriage, with its sleek horses,
driven at a sober pace by old John, the dashing curricle and smart
barouche, with the elegant private cab with its busy little Tiger in top
boots, whose single arm stops the thorough bred animal when his master
drops the reins.

"Is them 'ere hangels," enquired the butcher boy of his crony, Tom
Drops, the pot boy at the Crown and Sceptre, just round the corner, as
the two young ladies, who had acted in the character of bridesmaids in
the morning, stepped from their carriage on to the Indian matting which
had been stretched across the pavement to the hall steps, all tarletan
and rose buds, and ascended the grand staircase leading to the ball
room.

"Well, if they ain't they ought to be," was the response of Tom Drops.
At this moment a very stout and elaborately turbaned Dowager passed