"You are quite exhausted: we kept it up too long," said the gentleman in attendance on the stranger. "Sit down. What can I get you?" "My fan: there it is. Thank you. Nothing else." "What an old creature to dance herself down!" thought Frances. "She's forty, if she's a day." The lady opened her fan, and, whilst using it, the diamonds of her rich bracelet gleamed right in the eyes of Frances Chenevix. Frances looked at it, and started: she strained her eyes and looked at it again: she bent nearer to it, and became agitated with emotion. If her recollection did not play her false, that was the lost bracelet. She saw Grace at a distance, and glided up to her. "Who is that lady?" she asked, pointing to the stranger. "I don't know who she is," replied Grace. "I was standing by mamma when she was introduced, but did not catch the name. She came late, with the Cadogans." "The idea of people being in the house that you don't know!" indignantly spoke Frances, who was working herself into a fever. "Where's Sarah? Do you know that?" "In the card-room, at the whist-table." Lady Sarah, however, had left it, for Frances only turned from Grace to encounter her. "I do believe your lost bracelet is in the room," she whispered, in agitation. "I think I have seen it." "Impossible!" responded Lady Sarah Hope. "It looks exactly the same; gold links interspersed with diamonds: and the clasp is the same; three stars. A tall, ugly woman has it on, her black hair strained off her face." For, it should be remarked _en passant_, that such was not the fashion then. "So very trying for plain people!" remarked Lady Sarah, carelessly. "Where is she?" "There: she is standing up now. Let us get close to her. Her dress is that beautiful maize colour, with old lace." Lady Sarah Hope drew near, and obtained a sight of the bracelet. The colour flew into her face. "It is mine, Fanny," she whispered. But the lady, at that moment, took the gentleman's arm, and moved away. Lady Sarah followed her, with the view of obtaining another look. Fanny went to Sir Francis, and told him. He showed himself hard of belief. "You cannot be sure at this distance of time, Fanny. And, besides, more bracelets than one may have been made of that pattern." "I am so certain, that I feel as if I could swear to the bracelet," eagerly replied Lady Frances. "Hush, hush, Fanny." "I recollect it perfectly: the bracelet struck me the moment I saw it. How singular that I should have been talking to Gerard Hope about it tonight!" Sir Francis smiled. "Imagination is very deceptive, Frances. Your having spoken to Mr. Hope of the bracelet brought it into your thoughts." "But it could not have brought it to my eyes," returned the girl. "Stuff and nonsense about imagination, Francis Netherleigh! I am positive it is the bracelet. Here comes Sarah." "I suppose Frances has been telling you," observed Lady Sarah to her brother-in-law. "I feel convinced it is my own bracelet."