"Hush, hush, Norton. I am having a very good time," said Matilda, looking as she felt, like a very happy little girl. "Well," said Norton, "there are two odd people here to-night. One of 'em's Judy Bartholomew, and the other is--somebody you don't know. Come! come here. Esther Francis!--this is my sister, my new sister Matilda. Hasn't Judy introduced you?" Norton had caught by the arm, as she was passing, a girl of about Judy's age, whom he thus brought face to face with Matilda. She was sweet-faced and very handsomely dressed, and she had no sort of shyness about her. She took Matilda's hand and looked at her with a steady look. "Take care of her, will you?" Norton went on. "I have got to go and arrange things with Davie; and Judy has her head full. Tell Matilda who's who; she does not know the people yet." The two girls stood a minute or two silently together; Esther giving however a side glance now and then at her companion. "You have not been long in town?" she said then, by way of beginning. "Only three weeks." "Of course then you are quite a stranger. It is very disagreeable, isn't it, to be among a whole set of people that you don't know?" Esther said it with a little turn of her pretty head, that was--Matilda could not tell just what it was. It shewed the young lady very much at her ease in society, and it was not quite natural; that was all she could make out. Matilda answered, that she did not find anything disagreeable. Esther opened her eyes a little wider. "Do you know all about the arrangements to-night?" she whispered. "I suppose I do." "Will there be dancing?" "I have heard nothing about dancing," said Matilda. "I don't think there'll be much time for it. I don't see how there can be." "Are you very fond of dancing?" Esther asked, with her eyes at the further end of the next room. Matilda was conscious of feeling ashamed of her answer. Nevertheless she answered. "I do not know how to dance." "Not dance!" said Esther, with a new glance at her. "Did you never dance? O there's nothing I care for at parties but to dance. And there are just enough here to night; not a crowd. Aunt Zara will send you to dancing-school, I suppose. But it isn't so pleasant to begin to learn when you are so old." "_Aunt_ Zara!" said Matilda. "Norton did not say you were his cousin." "Norton's head was too full," said Esther with another movement of her head that struck Matilda very much; it was quite like a grown-up young lady; and gave Matilda the notion that she thought a good deal of Norton. "Yes; we are cousins; that is why he told me to take care of you." Matilda was tempted to say that Norton would save her that trouble as soon as he was at leisure to take it upon himself; but she did not. Instead, she asked Esther how old _she_ had been when she began to take dancing lessons? "I don't know; three and a half, I believe."