nother of her guests as rapidly
as she could, passing them on to her father and mother, and at the
same time resisting the efforts of three or four detached bachelors who
besought her to give over her duty in favour of the dance-music just
beginning to blare.

She was a large, fair girl, with a kindness of eye somewhat withheld by
an expression of fastidiousness; at first sight of her it was clear that
she would never in her life do anything "incorrect," or wear anything
"incorrect." But her correctness was of the finer sort, and had no air
of being studied or achieved; conduct would never offer her a problem to
be settled from a book of rules, for the rules were so deep within her
that she was unconscious of them. And behind this perfection there was
an even ampler perfection of what Mrs. Adams called "background." The
big, rich, simple house was part of it, and Mildred's father and mother
were part of it. They stood beside her, large, serene people, murmuring
graciously and gently inclining their handsome heads as they gave their
hands to the guests; and even the youngest and most ebullient of these
took on a hushed mannerliness with a closer approach to the bower.

When the opportunity came for Alice and Walter to pass within this
precinct, Alice, going first, leaned forward and whispered in Mildred's
ear. "You DIDN'T wear the maize georgette! That's what I thought you
were going to. But you look simply DARLING! And those pearls----"

Others were crowding decorously forward, anxious to be done with
ceremony and get to the dancing; and Mildred did not prolong the
intimacy of Alice's enthusiastic whispering. With a faint accession of
colour and a smile tending somewhat in the direction of rigidity, she
carried Alice's hand immediately onward to Mrs. Palmer's. Alice's own
colour showed a little heightening as she accepted the suggestion thus
implied; nor was that emotional tint in any wise decreased, a moment
later, by an impression that Walter, in concluding the brief exchange
of courtesies between himself and the stately Mr. Palmer, had again
reassured himself with a yawn.

But she did not speak of it to Walter; she preferred not to confirm the
impression and to leave in her mind a possible doubt that he had done
it. He followed her out upon the waxed floor, said resignedly: "Well,
come on," put his arm about her, and they began to dance.

Alice danced gracefully and well, but not so well as Walter. Of all the
st