de, he was content.

Gloria remembered to make Mr. King known to Mr. Trimble. Then King
suggested that they take the cub around back and lodge him for the night
in the garage. But Gloria, discovering that she could pat and fondle the
little creature, and that he was of friendly disposition, insisted on
having him brought into the house for all to see.

"It's the most delightful present of all!" she whispered to King.

In the hallway they were surrounded by a crowd of the curious. Girls in
pretty dresses, young fellows in black suits, all very exact as to the
proper evening appointments. At first they were disposed to look on King
as "the man who brought the cub," and it was only when Gloria began a
string of introductions that they understood. One and all, they
regarded Mark King curiously.

The cub was made much of, and finally led off to the kitchen for sugar
and a bed in a box under the table. Mrs. Gaynor appeared and was "very
glad indeed to see Mr. King again." Gratton, whom King remembered with
small liking, came up and shook hands, and looked at King in a way which
did nothing to increase the liking. Ben, it appeared, had been unable to
come this year. King was sorry for that as he looked about him. Only now
did he remember the violets he had brought for Gloria.

The evening was anything but that to which he had looked forward. From
the beginning he regretted coming; before the end it was slow torture
for him. He was out of place and felt more out of place than he was.
Glances at his carelessly purchased clothes were veiled, and never
utterly impolite, but he was conscious of them. He was conspicuous
because he was different; outwardly in garb, inwardly in much else.
There was no one here whom he knew; he had never felt that he knew
Gloria's mother, and to-night Gloria's self, puzzling him, baffling him,
was an Unknown. Not that she was not delightful to him; she was just as
delightful to every other man there, and in the same way. His days with
her in the forest blurred and faded.

Gloria gave him the first dance after his arrival, highhandedly
commanding a fair-haired and despondent youth to surrender to King one
of his numbers. King caught her into his arms hungrily--only to feel
that she was very far away from him. He knew that he was dancing
awkwardly; he had not danced for a dozen years. Gloria suggested sitting
out the rest of the dance; she said it prettily but he understood. He
understood, too, by