Learmont made a signal to the musicians to cease playing, while the partners were chosen for the dance. With a gallant air, he stepped up to the Brereton party, and offered his hand to the Honourable Georgiana, which was graciously accepted, so far as the tips of that young lady’s fingers extended. All eyes were upon him and his patrician partner as he led her across the richly-chalked floor. There was an impressive silence for a few seconds, when from a side-door a servant appeared, and gliding among the guests, approached Learmont, and stood for a moment as if he had something to say to him. “Well, knave!” cried Learmont, his face slightly flushed with anger, at being interrupted at that moment. “An please you, sir, there—there—is—” The Honourable Georgiana tossed her plumed head with a look of great displeasure, and Learmont forgetting everything on the impulse of the moment, cried angrily,— “Speak your message, sirrah!” “A message from the Old Smithy,” said the trembling servant. Learmont’s cheek blanched in an instant, and his lips quivered with agitation. “How dare you?” he gasped. “An please your honour,” said the man, in a submissive tone, “your honour ordered that—the—the—message from the Old Smithy should be always brought to your honour, and—he—he won’t go away—he—has knocked out two of Timothy’s teeth, your honour, besides, he—he—” “Peace!” cried Learmont. “Peace, I say. Ho! Music there—music!” The band immediately struck up an enlivening air, and the guests gazed at Learmont with bewildered looks, for he presented more the appearance of a madman than the high-bred courteous gentleman he had seemed during the evening. The servant slowly retreated, but Learmont could not, dared not, let him go without some answer to the savage. “Will your ladyship excuse me one moment?” he said to the Honourable Georgiana Brereton, in an agitated manner. “For as many as you please, sir,” answered the haughty damsel, with a tone of pique and insolence. Learmont strode after the servant, and just as the latter reached the door, he caught, him, and said,— “Tell him to wait.” “Yes, your honour,” said the servant. Learmont hurried back to where he had left the honourable lady, but she was not there. He glanced hurriedly around him, and saw her with her noble relatives at a distant part of the room. In a minute he was with them. “Pardon my rudeness,” he said, “in leaving you. I am a bachelor, and have so many troublesome domestic matters to arrange that I am compelled sometimes to appear rude where I would most of all wish to be otherwise.” “The interruption,” said the young lady, “was so very extraordinary.” “Yes—a—a—rather an ill-bred knave,” said Learmont. “My servants want a mistress sadly.” “Such a strange thing in a ball-room,” added Georgiana. “Eh!” said Lord Brereton. “If it be pronounceable, my dear, what was it?” “Oh, a mere nothing,” said Learmont; “an absurd mistake. Is not that a divine strain they are playing?”