and down the spacious apartment. Macleod entered the throng to look
about him. And soon he perceived, in one of the little stands at the
side of the hall, the noble lady who had asked him to go to this
assembly, and forthwith he made his way through the crowd to her. He was
most graciously received.

"Shall I tell you a secret, Lady ----?" said he. "You know the children
belonging to the charity; they are all below, and they are sitting doing
nothing, and they are all very tired and half asleep. It is a shame to
keep them there--"

"But the Prince hasn't come yet; and they must be marched round: they
show that we are not making fools of ourselves for nothing."

A sharper person than Macleod might have got in a pretty compliment
here: for this lady was charmingly dressed as Flora Macdonald; but he
merely said:--

"Very well; perhaps it is necessary. But I think I can get them some
amusement, if you will only keep the director of them, that is, Mr.
----, out of the way. Now shall I send him to you? Will you talk to
him?"

"What do you mean to do?"

"I want to give them a dance. Why should you have all the dancing up
here?"

"Mind, I am not responsible. What shall I talk to him about?"