t's a capital idea?' they asked.

"'Why, a clockwork dancer, or, better still, one that would go by
electricity and never run down.'

"The girls took up the idea with enthusiasm.

"'Oh, what a lovely partner he would make,' said one; 'he would never
kick you, or tread on your toes.'

"'Or tear your dress,' said another.

"'Or get out of step.'

"'Or get giddy and lean on you.'

"'And he would never want to mop his face with his handkerchief. I do
hate to see a man do that after every dance.'

"'And wouldn't want to spend the whole evening in the supper-room.'

"'Why, with a phonograph inside him to grind out all the stock remarks,
you would not be able to tell him from a real man,' said the girl who had
first suggested the idea.

"'Oh yes, you would,' said the thin girl, 'he would be so much nicer.'

"Old Geibel had laid down his paper, and was listening with both his
ears. On one of the girls glancing in his direction, however, he
hurriedly hid himself again behind it.

"After the girls were gone, he went into his workshop, where Olga heard
him walking up and down, and every now and then chuckling to himself; and
that night he talked to her a good deal about dancing and dancing
men--asked what they usually said and did--what dances were most
popular--what steps were gone through, with many other questions bearing
on the subject.

"Then for a couple of weeks he kept much to his factory, and was very
thoughtful and busy, though prone at unexpected moments to break into a
quiet low laugh, as if enjoying a joke that nobody else knew of.

"A month later another ball took place in Furtwangen. On this occasion
it was given by old Wenzel, the wealthy timber merchant, to celebrate his
niece's betrothal, and Geibel and his daughter were again among the
invited.

"When the hour arrived to set out, Olga sought her father. Not finding
him in the house, she tapped at the door of his workshop. He appeared in
his shirt-sleeves, looking hot, but radiant.

"'Don't wait for me,' he said, 'you go on, I'll follow you. I've got
something to finish.'

"As she turned to obey he called after her, 'Tell them I'm going to bring
a young man with me--such a nice young man, and an excellent dancer. All
the girls will like him.' Then he laughed and closed the door.

"Her father generally kept his doings secret from everybody, but she had
a pretty shrewd suspicion of what he had been planning, and so, to a
certain exten