I mean--waltz, Miss Phinney? as
distinguished from other nationalities?' Stuart asked.

'O, different.'

'Wont you tell us in what way? This is interesting.'

'It wont help you,' said Josephine; 'and you dance well,
besides. A German waltzes slow and elegantly.'

'And other people?'--

'You may laugh, but it's true; I've noticed it. An Englishman
sways and a Frenchman spins, but a German floats. O it's just
delicious! Why dont you dance the German, Dane Rollo? You're
not pious.'

Rollo did not join in the general smile. He answered
composedly--

'What I would not let my sister do, Miss Josephine, I am bound
not to ask of another lady.'

'Why wouldn't you let your sister? You haven't got one, and
don't know. But that's being awfully strict. I had no idea you
were so strict. I thought you were jolly.'

'Could you hinder your sister?' Stuart asked with a slight
laugh. The answer was, however, unhesitating.

'Why would you hinder her?' repeated Josephine.

'Ask Kitty Fisher.'

'Kitty? Does _she_ know? And why shouldn't you tell us as well
as her?'

Rollo took Miss Kennedy's plate at the instant and went off
with it.

'That's all bosh,' said Josephine. 'I like people that are
jolly. The German is real jolly. Last week we danced it with
candles--it was splendid fun.'

'Not here?' said one of the gentlemen.

'Here? No. You bet. My mother is my mother, and nobody ever
charged her with being jolly, I suppose.'

'How could you dance with candles?' said Primrose's astonished
voice.

'Yes. Six of us had great long wax candles, lighted; and we
stood up on a chair.'

'Six of you on a chair!'

'The old question of the schoolmen!'--cried Nightingale,
bursting into a laugh.

'Of course on six chairs, I mean. Of course. Six of us on a
chair!'--

'But what did you get on chairs for?'

'Why!--then the gentlemen danced round us, and at the signal--
the leader gave the signal--the gentlemen jumped up as high as
they could and tried to blow out our lights; and they had to
keep step and jump; and if any gentleman could blow out the
candle nearest him he could dance with that lady. Didn't we
make them jump, though! We held our candles up so high, you
know, they could not get at them. Unless we liked somebody and
wanted him for a partner. O we had a royal time!'

'Did the gentlemen dance--and blow--indiscriminately?' inquired
Miss Kennedy with a curl of her lips.

'No, no!--how you do tell things, Josephin