The two young lawyers, Toney Belton and Tom Seddon, the former a resident of the town of Mapleton, in an adjoining county of the State, and the latter a citizen of Bella Vista, entered the ball-room soon after the musicians had sounded a prelude to the poetry of motion. As they moved through the crowd they were met by a handsome young man who extended his hand to each.
"Why, Clarence, my dear fellow," said Toney, "I am glad to see you. What! are you not dancing? Where is the lovely Miss Carrington? You will be accused of——"
The young man turned hastily away before Toney could complete his sentence; and the next moment he was seen standing in a corner of the room gazing at a beautiful girl with an indescribable look of indignation. The young lady was apparently listening to an ill-favored man who was talking to her with immense volubility. She smiled very pleasantly on her uncomely admirer and never once looked at Clarence Hastings.
"Just as I told you," said Toney. "Hostilities have already commenced. Look at Clarence Hastings yonder! He has a small thunder-cloud on his brow, and is directing the lightning from his eyes in incessant flashes at the cruel Claribel."
"I was observing him," said Seddon. "What is the matter with the man? He looks as if he were meditating homicide, or suicide, or something of the sort. What has Claribel done to him?"
"Declined to dance with him, I suppose. See! she has selected one of the most fascinating men in the room to be his rival."
"The man she was just talking to, and with whom she is now dancing? He a rival of the handsome Clarence Hastings? Why, he is as ugly as a Hindoo idol! Who is he? What is his name?"
"Botts—Ned Botts. He lives in my town, whence he has just arrived in company with Sam Perch, William Wiggins, and M. T. Pate, Esq., the latter a distinguished lawyer of Mapleton. These four gentlemen are here on a lady-killing expedition. General Taylor has recently disposed of a multitude of Mexicans at Buena Vista, and my fellow-townsmen expect to make great havoc at Bella Vista."
"That ungainly creature a lady-killer? And yet, by Jove! Claribel smiles on him as if she really admired him. Who is this man Botts?
"He is the ugly man who once tried to run away from his own shadow. Did you never hear the story?"