w that he was so close to her, dancing, she conceived
of him as something quite wonderful, and yet she experienced a nervous
reaction--a momentary desire to run away.

"Very well, if you won't tell me," he smiled, mockingly.

He thought she wanted him to talk to her so, to tease her with
suggestions of this concealed feeling of his--this strong liking. He
wondered what could come of any such understanding as this, anyhow?

"Oh, I just wanted to see how you danced," she said, tamely, the force
of her original feeling having been weakened by a thought of what she
was doing. He noted the change and smiled. It was lovely to be dancing
with her. He had not thought mere dancing could hold such charm.

"You like me?" he said, suddenly, as the music drew to its close.

She thrilled from head to toe at the question. A piece of ice dropped
down her back could not have startled her more. It was apparently
tactless, and yet it was anything but tactless. She looked up quickly,
directly, but his strong eyes were too much for her.

"Why, yes," she answered, as the music stopped, trying to keep an even
tone to her voice. She was glad they were walking toward a chair.

"I like you so much," he said, "that I have been wondering if you really
like me." There was an appeal in his voice, soft and gentle. His manner
was almost sad.

"Why, yes," she replied, instantly, returning to her earlier mood toward
him. "You know I do."

"I need some one like you to like me," he continued, in the same vein.
"I need some one like you to talk to. I didn't think so before--but now
I do. You are beautiful--wonderful."

"We mustn't," she said. "I mustn't. I don't know what I'm doing."
She looked at a young man strolling toward her, and asked: "I have to
explain to him. He's the one I had this dance with."

Cowperwood understood. He walked away. He was quite warm and tense
now--almost nervous. It was quite clear to him that he had done or was
contemplating perhaps a very treacherous thing. Under the current code
of society he had no right to do it. It was against the rules, as
they were understood by everybody. Her father, for instance--his
father--every one in this particular walk of life. However, much
breaking of the rules under the surface of things there might be, the
rules were still there. As he had heard one young man remark once at
school, when some story had been told of a boy leading a girl astray and
to a disastrous end, "That isn't t