iet outspokenness she hoped
to cover up her foolish sense of shame. The moment was not made less
difficult for her by the astonishment, mingled with embarrassment, with
which he took her remark.

"You!" he cried. "You!"

"It isn't anything very unusual, is it?" she smiled.

"I'm not the first person in the world to make the attempt."

"And may I ask if you're succeeding?"

"I haven't begun yet. I only arrived a few days ago.

"Oh, I see. You've come here--"

"In the hope of finding employment--just like the rest of the
disinherited of the earth. I hope to give French lessons, and--"

"There's always an opening to any one who can," he interrupted,
encouragingly. "I'm not without influence in one or two good schools
that my daughter has attended--"

"Is that your daughter?" she asked, glad to escape from her subject, now
that it was stated plainly--"the very pretty girl in red?"

The question gave Pruyn the excuse he wanted or looking about him.

"I believe she's in red--but I don't see her."

He searched the dimly lighted room, where Mrs. Wappinger sat, silent and
satisfied, behind her tea-table, while Mrs. Eveleth was conversing with
Lucilla on Knickerbocker genealogy; but neither of the young people was
to be seen. His look of anxiety did not escape Diane, who responded to
it with her usual straightforward promptness.

"I fancy she's still in the ball-room with young Mr. Wappinger," she
explained. "We were all there a few minutes ago, looking at the
decorations for the dance Mrs. Wappinger is giving to-night. It was
before you came."

The shadow that shot across his face was a thing to be noticed only by
one accustomed to read the most trivial signs in the social sky. In an
instant she took in the main points of the case as accurately as if Mrs.
Wappinger had named those names over which she had shown such laudable
reserve.

"Wouldn't you like to see them?--the decorations? They're very pretty.
It's just in here."

She rose as she spoke, with a gesture of the hand toward the ball-room.
He followed, because she led the way, but without seeing the meaning of
the move until they were actually on the polished dancing-floor. Owing
to the darkness of the December afternoon, the large empty room was lit
up as brilliantly as at night. For a minute they stood on the threshold,
looking absently at the palms grouped in the corners and the garlands
festooning the walls. It was only then that Pruyn saw the motiv