The individual about whom they had been conversing passed near them
at this moment, and caused Mrs. Appleton and Louisa to remember that
they were prolonging their conversation to too great an extent for a
social party.

"We will talk about this again," Mrs. Appleton said, rising and
passing to the side of Maria.

"You do not seem cheerful to-night, Maria; or am I mistaken in my
observation of your face?" Mrs. Appleton said in a pleasant tone.

"I was not aware that there was any thing in my manner that
indicated the condition of mind to which you allude," the young lady
replied, with a smile.

"There seemed to me such an indication, but perhaps it was only an
appearance."

"Perhaps so," said Maria, with something of abstraction in her
manner. A silence, embarrassing in some degree to both parties,
followed, which was broken by an allusion of Mrs. Appleton's to
Louisa Graham.

To this, Maria made no answer.

"Louisa is a girl of kind feelings," remarked Mrs. Appleton.

"She is so esteemed," Maria replied, somewhat coldly.