Nell of Shorne Mills

Why--why, she might even behave in the ballroom as if--as if she had a

right to claim him! She might even tell the Chesneys that--that---He strode out of the smoking room in time to see the Chesney party

taking their departure. As Lady Luce shook hands with the hostess and

murmured her thanks for "a delightful evening"--and for once they were

genuine and no idle formula--he saw her glance round the room as if in

search of some one; but he drew back out of sight.

Then, when they had gone, he reëntered the ballroom and his eyes sought

Nell. She met them, and he smiled, but rather anxiously, with a feeling

of disquietude; for there was----Was there something strange in the

expression of her face? But as she smiled back--can one imagine what

that smile cost Nell?--he drew a breath of relief, found a partner, and

joined in the dance.

By this time the party had reached the after-supper stage, and the

waltzes had grown faster. A set of lancers had been danced with so much

spirit and enjoyment that it had been encored. Some of the men were

talking and laughing just a little loudly, and the women's faces were

flushed with the one glass of champagne which is generally all they

permit themselves, the spell of the music, and the excitement of rapid

and rhythmical movement. Couples found their way into the anterooms and

recesses, or sat very close together in corners of the great, broad

staircase.

Some of the men had boldly deserted the ballroom and retreated to the

smoking room, where they could play whist and drink and smoke: "Must

wait for my womenfolk, you know."

Dick, at this, his first dance, was enjoying himself amazingly. He had

gone steadily through the program, and as steadily through most of the

dishes at supper, and he was now flirting, with all a boy's ardor, with

a plump little girl, the niece of Lady Maltby.

She was "just out," and Dick had danced three dances in succession with

her before she remembered that she was committing a breach of etiquette.

"Dance again with you? Oh, I couldn't!" she said, when Dick, with inward

tremors but an outward boldness, begged for the fourth. "I mustn't--I

really mustn't!"

"Why not?" demanded Dick innocently.

"If you weren't such a boy you wouldn't ask," she retorted severely, but

with a smile lurking in her bright young eyes.

"I bet I'm as old as you are," he said.

"Are you? I don't think you are. You look as if you'd just come from

school. I'm----No, I won't tell you. It was just a trick to learn my

age. But if you must know why I won't dance again with you, it is

because no lady ought to dance three times in succession with a man."