At that day there were but few families of any wealth who did not own

one black man who could play well upon the violin. Joris possessed two;

and they were both on hand, putting their own gay spirits into the

fiddle and the bow. And oh, how happy were the beating feet and the

beating hearts that went to the stirring strains! It was joy and love

and youth in melodious motion. The old looked on with gleaming,

sympathetic eyes; the young forgot that they were mortal.

Then there was a short pause; and the ladies sipped chocolate, and the

gentlemen sipped something a little stronger, and a merry ripple of

conversation and of hearty laughter ran with the clink of glass and

china, and the scraping of the fiddle-bows.

"Miss Katern Van Heemskirk and Mr. Neil Semple will now hab de honour of

'bliging de company wid de French minuet."

At this announcement, made by the first negro violin, there was a sudden

silence; and Neil rose, and with a low bow offered the tips of his

fingers to the beautiful girl, who rose blushing to take them. The elder

deliberately turned his chair around, in order to watch the movement

comfortably; and there was an inexpressible smile of satisfaction on his

face as his eyes followed the young people. Neil's dark, stately beauty

was well set off by his black velvet suit and powdered hair and gold

buckles. And no lovelier contrast could have faced him than Katherine

Van Heemskirk; so delicately fresh, so radiantly fair, she looked in her

light-blue robe and white lace stomacher, with a pink rose at her

breast. There were shining amber beads around her white throat, and a

large amber comb fastened her pale brown hair. A gilded Indian fan was

in her hand, and she used it with all the pretty airs she had so aptly

copied from Mrs. Gordon.

Neil had a natural majesty in his carriage; Katherine supplemented it

with a natural grace, and with certain courtly movements which made the

little Dutch girls, who had never seen Mrs. Gordon practising them,

admire and wonder. As she was in the very act of making Neil a profound

courtesy, the door opened, and Mrs. Gordon and Captain Hyde entered. The

latter took in the exquisite picture in a moment; and there was a fire

of jealousy in his heart when he saw Neil lead his partner to her seat,

and with the deepest respect kiss her pretty fingers ere he resigned

them.

But he was compelled to control himself, as he was ceremoniously

introduced to Councillor and Madam Van Heemskirk by his aunt, who, with

a charming effusiveness, declared "she was very uneasy to intrude so

far; but, in faith, Councillor," she pleaded, "I am but a woman, and I

find the news of a wedding beyond my nature to resist."




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