o show she is?"

"Never mind. You really must ask her, Walter. I want you to; and I want
you to ask several other girls afterwhile; I'll tell you who."

"Keep on wanting; it'll do you good."

"Oh, but you really----"

"Listen!" he said. "I'm just as liable to dance with any of these
fairies as I am to buy a bucket o' rusty tacks and eat 'em. Forget it!
Soon as I get rid of you I'm goin' back to that room where I left my hat
and overcoat and smoke myself to death."

"Well," she said, a little ruefully, as the frenzy of Jazz Louie and his
half-breeds was suddenly abated to silence, "you mustn't--you mustn't
get rid of me TOO soon, Walter."

They stood near one of the wide doorways, remaining where they had
stopped. Other couples, everywhere, joined one another, forming
vivacious clusters, but none of these groups adopted the brother and
sister, nor did any one appear to be hurrying in Alice's direction to
ask her for the next dance. She looked about her, still maintaining that
jubilance of look and manner she felt so necessary--for it is to the
girls who are "having a good time" that partners are attracted--and, in
order to lend greater colour to her impersonation of a lively belle,
she began to chatter loudly, bringing into play an accompaniment of
frolicsome gesture. She brushed Walter's nose saucily with the bunch
of violets in her hand, tapped him on the shoulder, shook her pretty
forefinger in his face, flourished her arms, kept her shoulders moving,
and laughed continuously as she spoke.

"You NAUGHTY old Walter!" she cried. "AREN'T you ashamed to be such a
wonderful dancer and then only dance with your own little sister! You
could dance on the stage if you wanted to. Why, you could made your
FORTUNE that way! Why don't you? Wouldn't it be just lovely to have all
the rows and rows of people clapping their hands and shouting, 'Hurrah!
Hurrah, for Walter Adams! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!"

He stood looking at her in stolid pity.

"Cut it out," he said. "You better be givin' some of these berries the
eye so they'll ask you to dance."

She was not to be so easily checked, and laughed loudly, flourishing her
violets in his face again. "You WOULD like it; you know you would; you
needn't pretend! Just think! A whole big audience shouting, 'Hurrah!
HURRAH! HUR----'"

"The place'll be pulled if you get any noisier," he interrupted, not
ungently. "Besides, I'm no muley cow."

"A 'COW?'" she laughed. "What on earth