have Peter here for this particular evening," said
Dorothy.

"Why?" asked Leonore, calmly, in the most uninterested of tones.

"Because Miss Biddle is to be here. For two years I've been trying to
bring those two together, so that they might make a match of it. They
are made for each other."

Leonore tucked a rebellious curl in behind the drawn-back lock. Then she
said, "What a pretty pin you have."

"Isn't it? Ray gave it to me," said Dorothy, giving Leonore all the line
she wanted.

"I've never met Miss Biddle," said Leonore.

"She's a great beauty, and rich. And then she has that nice Philadelphia
manner. Peter can't abide the young-girl manner. He hates giggling and
talking girls. It's funny too, because, though he doesn't dance or talk,
they like him. But Miss Biddle is an older girl, and can talk on
subjects which please him. She is very much interested in politics and
philanthropy."

"I thought," said Leonore, fluffing the lace on her gown, "that Peter
never talked politics."

"He doesn't," said Dorothy. "But she has studied political economy. He's
willing to talk abstract subjects. She's just the girl for a statesman's
wife. Beauty, tact, very clever, and yet very discreet. I'm doubly glad
they'll meet here, for she has given up dancing, so she can entertain
Peter, who would otherwise have a dull time of it."

"If she wants to," said Leonore.

"Oh," said Dorothy, "I'm not a bit afraid about that. Peter's the kind
of man with whom every woman's ready to fall in love. Why, my dear, he's
had chance after chance, if he had only cared to try. But, of course, he
doesn't care for such women as you and me, who can't enter into his
thoughts or sympathize with his ambitions. To him we are nothing but
dancing, dressing, prattling flutter-birds." Then Dorothy put her head
on one side, and seemed far more interested in the effect of her own
frock than in Peter's fate.

"He talks politics to me," Leonore could not help saying. Leonore did
not like Dorothy's last speech.

"Oh, Peter's such a gentleman that he always talks seriously even to us;
but it's only his politeness. I've seen him talk to girls like you, and
he is delightfully courteous, and one would think he liked it. But, from
little things Ray has told me, I know he looks down on society girls."

"Are you ready, Leonore?" inquired Mrs. D'Alloi.

Leonore was very ready. Watts and Peter were ready also; had been ready
during the whole of this dialogue