ed you against,
and, what is worse, you have had mince pie for dessert. Your digestion
is seriously deranged. For old friends like you and me to quarrel over
a little chit of a girl, is as absurd as committing suicide because
you have scratched your hand with a pin. If your heart is really
engaged in this affair, then I wont interfere with you. I wish you
luck, although judging by what I have seen, I should say you might
have made a better choice. _Au revoir_."

He skipped lightly down the floor, and was lost in the crowd. Having
selected some journalistic friends as partners for Fraulein Hildegard,
and listened with great patience to their rhapsodies over her beauty
and loveliness, I stationed myself at the upper end of the hall, and
in philosophic discontent watched the dancers. Dannevig's parting
words had filled me with vague alarm; I knew that they were insincere,
and I suspected that he was even now at work to accomplish some
disastrous intention. At this moment a couple came whirling straight
toward me; a pale-green satin, train swept over my feet, and the cross
of the order of Dannebrog sent a swift flash into my very eyes. A
fierce exclamation escaped me; my blood was in tumult. I began to feel
dangerous. As the usual accelerated rush of violins and drums
announced that the dance was near its end, I did not dare to seek my
fair partner, and I had no pleasure to feign when I saw her advancing,
with a light and eager step, to where I was standing. She was
evidently too preoccupied to notice the change I had undergone since
our last parting.

"Now," she said, with as near an approach to archness as a woman of
her type is capable of, "you must not think me odd if I do something
that may seem to you a little bit unconventional. It is only your own
kindness to me which encourages me to ask a favor, which I shouldn't
wonder if you would rather grant than not. The fact is, there is a
gentleman who wishes very much to dance with me, and my card is
already full. Now, would you mind giving up one of yours? I know, in
the first place, that it was from a sense of duty that--that--that you
took so many," she finished desperately, as I refused to come to her
aid.

"We will not discuss my motives, Fraulein," I said, with as much
friendliness as I had at my command. "But, before granting your not
unreasonable request, you must be good enough to tell me who the
gentleman is who is to profit by my sacrifice."

"His name is