And that evening General Garnet entertained his friends to his heart’s content. It was a sort of little political party, at which Mrs. Garnet was not expected to appear.
After supper Lionel and Ulysses left the grave conclave of politicians to the discussion of Congress and canvas-back ducks, and came out upon the green.
Lionel was full of the new good fortune that had befallen him. The dearest wish of his life was gratified; his father had at last obtained for him a midshipman’s warrant and he was going to sea. Alice looked at the wild and willful youth with much anxiety, and wished in her heart that it might have been otherwise; that he might have been forced to stay under his father’s protection and surveillance.
Lionel also, in his frank, off-hand manner, informed his Cousin Magnus there before them all that his father had not forgotten him, either; that he had arranged with a celebrated physician of Baltimore to receive him as a student.
Magnus received this news with feelings of blended pain and pleasure—pain at the thought of leaving his dear “Cousin Alice” and her beautiful child—pleasure at the idea of the opening prospect of study, improvement, and independence.
Elsie never thought of the evil; she only thought of the good; she threw her arms around his neck and wished him joy and success.
But Alice was much more depressed than the occasion seemed to warrant. Again she caught herself wishing that young people could possibly remain at home. All partings depressed her. The idea of these saddened her.
Was the cloud on her beautiful face really sorrow at the certainty of losing her loving boy-friend, or was it the shadow of coming events? Alice sighed heavily as she watched the young people dance. And at an early hour she recalled them to the house, served them with refreshments, and, pleading great fatigue, dismissed them all to their several chambers.
She then threw herself languidly into the great easy-chair to await the breaking up of the party and the appearance of General Garnet. She had scarcely had an opportunity of speaking to him since his return.
It was not very long before she heard the gentle, cheerful bustle of the departing guests, and the ringing tones of Judge Wylie’s voice above all the rest, inviting everybody to Point Pleasant the next evening for the purpose of meeting everybody else.