“That wasn’t Mr. Tramlay. There aren’t any other men in the family. He must be a visitor. Well, if other men can call at this time of night, I guess I can visit it too.” Back he went, and, as he was unacquainted with the outer mechanism of door-bells, he rapped sharply upon the door. It opened instantly, and as Phil stepped in he found the hall and stairway, as well as the parlors, quite full of ladies and gentlemen. “It’s a party,” he said to himself. Then he informed himself, in great haste, that he would postpone his visit, but as he turned to go he found the door was closed, and a small colored boy who stood by it said, “Gen’lmen fust room back,” and pointed up-stairs. Entirely losing his self-possession, and wondering what to do, Phil stood stupidly staring about him, when suddenly he saw Lucia in full evening dress. He hastily dropped his eyes, for he had never before seen a dress of that particular cut. CHAPTER IV. THE TRAMLAY RECEPTION. “Well, who hasn’t come?” asked Edgar Tramlay, as Lucia hurried toward him with a countenance in which despondency and indignation were striving for mastery. Tramlay knew his daughter’s moods, for they were exact duplicates of some he had married a score of years before. “Oh, if he hadn’t come!--if he hadn’t come!” The head of the family looked puzzled; then his expression changed to indignation as he asked,-- “Has any one dared to come to my house after drinking?” “Worse than that!” wailed Lucia, shuddering, and covering her eyes with her pretty hands. Her father at once strode to the hall-way, looking like an avenging angel; but when he reached the door and took in at a glance the entire cause of his daughter’s annoyance he quickly put on a smile, and exclaimed,-- “Why, my dear fellow, how lucky that you happened in town on our reception evening! Come with me; Mrs. Tramlay will be delighted to see you again.” Phil resisted the hand laid upon his arm, and replied,-- “I’ll call again,--some other time. I didn’t know you had company this evening.” “All the better,” said the host, leading Phil along; “‘twill give you a chance to meet some of our friends. We’ve met many of yours, you know.” Just then the couple stopped in front of a sofa on which Phil, whose eyes were still cast down, saw the skirts of two or three dresses. Then he heard his escort say,-- “My dear, you remember our old friend Phil Hayn, I’m sure?”