we goin' to stand here? My feet are sproutin'
roots."

Alice took his arm, and they began to walk aimlessly through the rooms,
though she tried to look as if they had a definite destination, keeping
her eyes eager and her lips parted;--people had called jovially to them
from the distance, she meant to imply, and they were going to join these
merry friends. She was still upon this ghostly errand when a furious
outbreak of drums and saxophones sounded a prelude for the second dance.

Walter danced with her again, but he gave her a warning. "I don't want
to leave you high and dry," he told her, "but I can't stand it. I got to
get somewhere I don't haf' to hurt my eyes with these berries; I'll go
blind if I got to look at any more of 'em. I'm goin' out to smoke as
soon as the music begins the next time, and you better get fixed for
it."

Alice tried to get fixed for it. As they danced she nodded sunnily to
every man whose eye she caught, smiled her smile with the under
lip caught between her teeth; but it was not until the end of the
intermission after the dance that she saw help coming.

Across the room sat the globular lady she had encountered that morning,
and beside the globular lady sat a round-headed, round-bodied girl;
her daughter, at first glance. The family contour was also as evident
a characteristic of the short young man who stood in front of Mrs.
Dowling, engaged with her in a discussion which was not without
evidences of an earnestness almost impassioned. Like Walter, he was
declining to dance a third time with sister; he wished to go elsewhere.

Alice from a sidelong eye watched the controversy: she saw the globular
young man glance toward her, over his shoulder; whereupon Mrs. Dowling,
following this glance, gave Alice a look of open fury, became much more
vehement in the argument, and even struck her knee with a round, fat
fist for emphasis.

"I'm on my way," said Walter. "There's the music startin' up again, and
I told you----"

She nodded gratefully. "It's all right--but come back before long,
Walter."

The globular young man, red with annoyance, had torn himself from
his family and was hastening across the room to her. "C'n I have this
dance?"

"Why, you nice Frank Dowling!" Alice cried. "How lovely!"

CHAPTER VII

They danced. Mr. Dowling should have found other forms of exercise and
pastime.

Nature has not designed everyone for dancing, though sometimes those
she has denied are t