“She has more pleasure naturally in books and in nature than I have, but at the present time she appears to have to have lost her relish for both.  She has felt that her estimate of her powers has been too great, and now it is far too humble.  For myself, I think just as highly of my own abilities and acquirements as ever I did.  I am sorry that your minister has left his church, for I hoped to become acquainted with him; and he looked so cheerful that I thought he might do Elsie good.  This new clergyman does not strike me as being so genial or kindly, though I certainly like his sermons and his devotional services very much.  It is certainly not the least of the blessings of my adversity that I have learned to place myself in God’s hands, and to feel that he will do all things well for me.”

“Can you not place your sister in the same care?” asked Francis.

“It is easier to trust God for yourself than to trust Him for those whom we love,” said Jane; “but I try hard for that amount of faith.  Elsie is so weary of her life sometimes, it is difficult to give her courage.  This is grave conversation for a dancing party; but you do not see the incongruity.  If we cannot carry our religion into our amusements, and into our business, it will not be of much use to us.”

The sound of a well-known voice arrested Jane’s attention:  it was that of William Dalzell, who was shaking hands with Mr., Mrs., and Miss Rennie very cordially, and then, in an embarrassed manner, doing the same with Elsie.

“How did our friends get acquainted with Mr. Dalzell?” said Jane.

“When they were visiting me at Cross Hall, we had a gathering of the neighbouring families, and Mrs. Rennie did the honours for me.  Mr. Dalzell, with his mother, and two young lady cousins, were of the party.  I thought the county people would have held themselves aloof from the more plebeian society of an Edinburgh banker, but he at least has condescended to accept Mrs. Rennie’s invitation to her own house.  The exclusiveness of classes, and sects, and cliques, is extremely amusing to me.  But I am engaged to dance this dance with Miss Rennie, so you must excuse me.”

As Francis went up to claim Miss Rennie’s hand, a gentleman was in the act of asking it—­“I am engaged to Mr. Hogarth—­see my card—­but as you are a stranger in Edinburgh, you will be obliged to me for introducing you to his cousin, one of the sweetest girls in the world, and one whose story is the most interesting and the most romantic I ever heard.  Oh!  Mr. Dalzell, I forgot you.”

“This is sad, to be so easily forgotten.  I had hoped that my requests had made more impression,” said he.