l lead
the march, sure, with Jerry's permission--how'll he help himself, I
wonder, if the lady says yis? Thank ye, Mrs. McDermott, and me
arm--so."

The sheepish figures of the musicians now leaned together for a moment.
The violins wailed in sad search for the accord, the assistant
instrument less tentative. All at once the slack shoulders
straightened up firmly, confidently, and then, their feet beating in
unison upon the floor, their faces set, stern and relentless, the three
musicians fell to the work and reeled off the opening bars.

A sigh went up from the assembly. There was a general shuffling of
shoes, a wide rustling of calico. Feet were thrust forward, the body
yet unable to follow them in the wish of the owner. Then, slowly,
sadly, as though going to his doom, Curly arose from out the long line
of the unhappy upon his side of the room. He crossed the intervening
space, his limbs below the knees curiously affected, jerking his feet
into half time with the tune. He bowed so low before the littlest
waiter girl that his neck scarf fell forward from his chest and hung
before him like a shield. "May I hev the honour, Miss Kitty?" he
choked out; and as the littlest waiter girl rose and took his arm with
a vast air of unconcern, Curly drew a long breath.

In his seat Sam writhed, but could not rise. Nora looked straight in
front. It was Hank Peterson, who led her forth, and who, after the
occasion was over, wished he had not done so, for his wife sat till the
last upon the row. Seeing this awful thing happen, seeing the hand of
Nora laid upon another's arm, Sam sat up as one deeply smitten with a
hurt. Then, silently, unobserved in the confusion, he stole away from
the fateful scene and betook himself to his stable, where he fell
violently to currying one of the horses.

"Oh, kick!" he exclaimed, getting speech in these surroundings. "Kick!
I deserve it. Of all the low-down, d----n cowards that ever was borned
I sure am the worst! But the gall of that feller Peterson! An' him a
merried man!"

When Sam left the ballroom there remained no person who was able to
claim acquaintance with the little group who now sat under the shadow
of the swinging lamp at the lower end of the hall, and farthest from
the door. Sam himself might have been more courteous had not his
mental perturbation been so great. As it was, the "grand march" was
over, and Battersleigh was again walking along the lines in company