A  severe  struggle  it  was,  and  one  in  which  nothing  but  his  deep
love  for  her,  and  fear  of  compromising  her  by  word  or  deed,
could  have  rendered  him  successful.  By  a  powerful  exercise  of
self-control  he  contrived  to  avoid  any  outward  manifestation  of
his  feelings  ;  and  after  watching  Alice  and  her  partner  for  some
minutes,  with  flashing  eyes  and  an  aching  heart,  as  they  hurried
through  the  boisterous  evolutions  of  that  romping  dance,  he
wandered  listlessly  through  the  rooms,  now  partially  deserted,
seeking  some  spot  where  he  might  be  alone  with  his  troubled
thoughts,  and  avoid  the  necessity  of  replying  to  the  common-
places of  society,  to  which,  at  that  moment,  he  felt  himself
completely  unfitted.  Having  passed  through  the  music-room,
he  found  himself  in  an  elegantly-furnished  boudoir,  which  at
first  sight  he  believed  to  be  untenanted,  and,  flinging  himself
into  an  easy-chair,  leaned  his  head  on  his  hands,  and  gave  way
to  painful  reflections.  After  remaining  in  this  attitude  for
several  minutes,  a  sound  resembling  a  sigh  caught  his  ear,  and,
hastily  looking  up,  he  perceived  Arabella  Crofton.
'  Were  you  here  when  I  entered  ? '  he  inquired.
