unced positively, "I think he's sweet."
He was intensely embarrassed, in an agony of confusion--but very happy.
The girls liked his clean blondness, his blushes, his startled smile.
How long they would have held him there in the center of the ring while
they admired and teased him, there is no telling; but suddenly the
orchestra brought relief by striking up a fox-trot.

"He's mine!" cried a pretty black-eyed girl with a cloud of bobbed hair
and flaming cheeks. Her slender shoulders were bare; her round white
arms waved in excited, graceful gestures; her corn-colored frock was a
gauzy mist. She clutched Hugh's arm. "He's mine," she repeated shrilly.
"He's going to dance with me."

Hugh's cheeks burned a deeper scarlet. "My clothes," he muttered,
hesitating.

"Your clothes! My dear, you look sweet. Take off your cap and dance with
me."

Hugh snatched off his cap, his mind reeling with shame, but he had no
time to think. The girl pulled him through the crowd to a clear floor.
Almost mechanically, Hugh put his arm around her and began to dance. He
_could_ dance, and the girl had sense enough not to talk. She floated in
his arm, her slender body close to his. When the music ceased, she
clapped her little hands excitedly and told Hugh that he danced
"won-der-ful-ly." After the third encore she led him to a dark corner in
the hall.

"You're sweet, honey," she said softly. She turned her small, glowing
face up to his. "Kiss me," she commanded.

Dazed, Hugh gathered her into his arms and kissed her little red mouth.
She clung to him for a minute and then pushed him gently away.

"Good night, honey," she whispered.

"Good night." Hugh's voice broke huskily. He turned and walked rapidly
down the hall, upon the veranda, and down the steps. His classmates were
waiting for him. They rushed up to him, demanding that he tell them what
had happened.

He told them most of it, especially about the dance; but he neglected to
mention the kiss. Shyness overcame any desire that he had to strut.
Besides, there was something about that kiss that made it impossible for
him to tell any one, even Carl. When he went to bed that night, he did
not think once about the coming football game. Before his eyes floated
the girl in the corn-colored frock. He wished he knew her name....
Closer and closer she came to him. He could feel her cool arms around
his neck. "What a wonderful, wonderful girl! Sweeter than Helen--lots
sweeter.... She's lik