She saw it, and it made her heart bound with a wild hope, and she became so radiant, so fascinating and bewildering, that he wondered if he had indeed been nourishing an unjust prejudice against her. Lady Sherbrooke saw them standing there, apparently oblivious of everything and everybody else, and an anxious look shot into her face, for she had studied Miss Richards during her unguarded moments the past week, reading her character like an open book with her womanly intuition, and she knew that she would never make a good man happy; she would never yield that wifely self-sacrifice which was necessary to domestic enjoyment; and seeing how passing fair she was to-night, she dreaded her influence over her idolized son, notwithstanding what he had already told her. Suddenly one merry sprite appeared to be possessed by a novel idea of some kind, and went flitting about the room, whispering, laughing, and making signs at the pair under the evergreen arch. The company, who were mostly young people, appeared to join in with her proposals, whatever they were, and at length she danced gayly up to Lord Carrol and Josephine, saying, eagerly: “Archie”—she had known him all her life, and being intimate in the family, felt privileged to address him thus—“Archie, we have been arranging such capital fun, and we want you to agree to help us in it.” “Certainly I will assist you. You know you are to do exactly as you like to-night, and get all the enjoyment you can out of this occasion.” “Oh, you are perfectly delightful! Isn’t he, Miss Richards?” returned the merry girl, with a glance at Josephine, and the look which that young lady shot at him, half startled but wholly admiring, together with the flush which leaped into her cheeks, answered the question better than any words could have done. “Well, granted that I am all that,” Lord Carrol said, laughing, “what next?” “We are going to have a mock marriage; everybody has agreed that it will be something new under the sun, and we’re just in the mood for a wedding or any event equally exciting. It is almost on the stroke of twelve, and it will be just the thing to wind up with before we begin our dancing.” “Don’t you think it will seem like trifling with a serious subject?” Lord Carrol asked, rather gravely. “Oh, no. Of course we do not mean anything wrong; it is only for a little fun, and we do so want a bride to lead off in the dance,” replied the thoughtless girl. “Well,” the young man returned, lightly, “anything you like, only do not let the ceremony be too tedious, for I am ready for my dance, and I believe I shall ask you to be my first partner, Minnie. But who are you going to have for victims?” he concluded, unsuspicious of the trap he was walking into. “Oh, you’re to be groom, and Miss Richards the bride. She is the only one in the room who is dressed all in white, as a bride should be, and this green arch is just the place for the ceremony to be performed.”