Leichard's Town matrons by reason of her unblushing levity.
Just at this time one of the younger of the Royal Princes, who was making a tour of the Colonies, paid a long-expected week's visit to Leichardt's Town, and the occasion was one of wild excitement and of enthusiastic demonstration of Antipodean loyalty. Elsie had the satisfaction of seeing Blake in official capacity, taking part in the various pageants, as one of the committee of reception; and in spite of her misery and her anger against him, she felt a savage pride in the manner in which he acquitted himself. She was at the great ceremony of the landing, and at the Mayor's ball, at the School of Arts, in the evening. She was also at the races, at which one or two of the horses which had exploited at Tunimba ran, with less credit to themselves and their owners; she was at the picnic in the Government steamer, in which the Prince was shown the bay and the islands; and at all the functions for which Frank Hallett's efforts and the reflected glory of the Waveryngs secured her a place. It was all very brilliant, and she had her fill of admiration. The Prince was greatly taken by her beauty, and danced with her so often as to fill his guardians with a half amused alarm. Perhaps this was why Lord Astar, one of the Prince's suite, made violent love to Elsie, and short of absolutely proposing marriage, did everything which could be expected from a suitor for her hand. Lord Astar found the verandah receptions very much to his taste, and on the days when he was off duty during the latter part of the Prince's visit, might usually be seen seated at Elsie's feet, with his legs dangling over the edge of the Riverside verandah in the most approved colonial fashion, or else lounging on the steps that led to the boat-house, another favourite scene for Elsie's flirtations. The Prince would have liked to take part also in Elsie's verandah receptions, but on this point the Stukeleys and the noble Admiral who had him in charge were inexorable.
Lord Astar was amusing, and clever, and fascinating, and he was very much a man of the world. Elsie had
