I do love good dance music. I love to dance, don't you, Mr.
Babbitt?"

"Sure, you bet. Not that I'm very darn good at it, though."

"Oh, I'm sure you are. You ought to let me teach you. I can teach
anybody to dance."

"Would you give me a lesson some time?"

"Indeed I would."

"Better be careful, or I'll be taking you up on that proposition. I'll
be coming up to your flat and making you give me that lesson."

"Ye-es." She was not offended, but she was non-committal. He warned
himself, "Have some sense now, you chump! Don't go making a fool of
yourself again!" and with loftiness he discoursed:

"I wish I could dance like some of these young fellows, but I'll tell
you: I feel it's a man's place to take a full, you might say, a creative
share in the world's work and mold conditions and have something to show
for his life, don't you think so?"

"Oh, I do!"

"And so I have to sacrifice some of the things I might like to tackle,
though I do, by golly, play about as good a game of golf as the next
fellow!"

"Oh, I'm sure you do.... Are you married?"

"Uh--yes.... And, uh, of course official duties I'm the vice-president
of the Boosters' Club, and I'm running one of the committees of the
State Association of Real Estate Boards, and that means a lot of work
and responsibility--and practically no gratitude for it."

"Oh, I know! Public men never do get proper credit."

They looked at each other with a high degree of mutual respect, and at
the Cavendish Apartments he helped her out in a courtly manner, waved
his hand at the house as though he were presenting it to her, and
ponderously ordered the elevator boy to "hustle and get the keys." She
stood close to him in the elevator, and he was stirred but cautious.

It was a pretty flat, of white woodwork and soft blue walls. Mrs.
Judique gushed with pleasure as she agreed to take it, and as they
walked down the hall to the elevator she touched his sleeve, caroling,
"Oh, I'm so glad I went to you! It's such a privilege to meet a man who
really Understands. Oh! The flats SOME people have showed me!"

He had a sharp instinctive belief that he could put his arm around her,
but he rebuked himself and with excessive politeness he saw her to the
car, drove her home. All the way back to his office he raged:

"Glad I had some sense for once.... Curse it, I wish I'd tried. She's a
darling! A corker! A reg'lar charmer! Lovely eyes and darling lips and
that trim waist--never g