She was equally a stranger to Mr.Gusher's antecedents.

Her mind had, however, for some time been engaged trying to solve the mysterious agency that had brought him into business relations with her father.
Being a girl of fixed character and good common sense, it was only natural that she should entertain an instinctive dislike for Gusher, in whom she saw a nature, if not really bad, at least frivolous and artificial.
The unexpected meeting between Romer and Gusher threw a shadow over the entertainment, so far as it affected the latter.

Here he had been for weeks sounding the trumpet of Mrs.Chapman's ball, and looking forward to it as the means of making a temple of triumph of himself, and captivating no end of female hearts, Mattie's included; but how sadly he was disappointed.

It had suddenly thrown around him a chain of difficulties that might blast his ambition, destroy all his hopes, and cause the veil he supposed was forever drawn over his past life to be lifted.

The only way he saw of extricating himself from these difficulties, of cutting through them as it were, was by the force and skilful exercise of great coolness and impudence, and these he resolved to use, and use quickly.
And while the dancing was progressing a number of young fellows, who found more congenial enjoyment in their glasses and cigars, were seated at a table in a room down stairs, which Mrs.Chapman had provided as a sort of free-and-easy for such of her guests as were inclined to enjoy themselves in their own way.