d Lord
Nick.

"Don't you see," said Donnegan, "that I can't stop now?"

There was a double meaning that sent her color flaring.

He added in a low, tense voice, "I've gone too far. Besides, I'm
beginning to hope!"

She paused, then made a little gesture of abandon.

"Then stay, stay!" she whispered with eyes on fire. "And good luck to
you, Mr. Donnegan!"

21

As they went back, toward Nelly's table, where Jack Landis was trying to
appear carelessly at ease, the face of Donnegan was pale. One might have
thought that excitement and fear caused his pallor; but as a matter of
fact it was in him an unfailing sign of happiness and success. Landis
had manners enough to rise as they approached. He found himself being
presented to the smaller man. He heard the cool, precise voice of
Donnegan acknowledging the introduction; and then the red-headed man
went back to his table; and Jack Landis was alone with Nelly Lebrun
again.

He scowled at her, and she tried to look repentant, but since she could
not keep the dancing light out of her eyes, she compromised by looking
steadfastly down at the table. Which convinced Landis that she was
thinking of her late partner. He made a great effort, swallowed, and was
able to speak smoothly enough.

"Looked as if you were having a pretty good time with that--tramp."

The color in her cheeks was anger; Landis took it for shame.

"He dances beautifully," she replied.

"Yeh; he's pretty smooth. Take a gent like that, it's hard for a girl
to see through him."

"Let's not talk about him, Jack."

"All right. Is he going to dance with you again?"

"I promised him the third dance after this."

For a time Landis could not trust his voice. Then: "Kind of sorry about
that. Because I'll be going home before then."

At this she raised her eyes for the first time. He was astonished and a
little horrified to see that she was not in the least flustered, but
very angry.

"You'll go home before I have a chance for that dance?" she asked.
"You're acting like a two-year-old, Jack. You are!"

He flushed. Burning would be too easy a death for Donnegan.

"He's making a laughingstock out of me; look around the room!"

"Nobody's thinking about you at all, Jack. You're just self-conscious."

Of course, it was pouring acid upon an open wound. But she was past the
point of caution.

"Maybe they ain't," said Landis, controlling his rage. "I don't figure
that I amount to much. But I ra