love her. If you are a man
worthy of respect you will not desert her. Don't you think I am right?"

Like a singed and crippled moth vainly trying to rise once again to the
alluring yet deadly flame, Rene de Ronville essayed to break out of his
embarrassment and resume equal footing with the girl so suddenly become
his commanding superior; but the effort disclosed to him as well as to
her that he had fallen to rise no more. In his abject defeat he
accepted the terms dictated by Alice and was glad when she adroitly
changed her manner and tone in going on to discuss the approaching
dance.

"Now let me make one request of you," he demanded after a while. "It's
a small favor; may I ask it?"

"Yes, but I don't grant it in advance."

"I want you to wear, for my sake, the buff gown which they say was your
grandmother's."

"No, I won't wear it."

"But why, Alice?"

"None of the other girls have anything like such a dress; it would not
be right for me to put it on and make them all feel that I had taken
the advantage of them, just because I could; that's why."

"But then none of them is beautiful and educated like you," he said;
"you'll outshine them anyway."

"Save your compliments for poor pretty little Adrienne," she firmly
responded, "I positively do not wish to hear them. I have agreed to be
your partenaire at this dance of Papa Roussillon's, but it is
understood between us that Adrienne is your sweet-heart. I am not, and
I'm not going to be, either. So for your sake and Adrienne's, as well
as out of consideration for the rest of the girls who have no fine
dresses, I am not going to wear the buff brocade gown that belonged to
Papa Roussillon's mother long ago. I shall dress just as the rest do."

It is safe to say that Rene de Ronville went home with a troublesome
bee in his bonnet. He was not a bad-hearted fellow. Many a right good
young man, before him and since, has loved an Adrienne and been dazzled
by an Alice. A violet is sweet, but a rose is the garden's queen. The
poor youthful frontiersman ought to have been stronger; but he was not,
and what have we to say?

As for Alice, since having a confidential talk with Adrienne Bourcier
recently, she had come to realize what M. Roussillon meant when he
said; "But my little girl is better than most of them, not a foolish
mischief-maker, I hope." She saw through the situation with a quick
understanding of what Adrienne might suffer should Rene prove
permanently