nt by with the
Pilgrim. Dill was on the floor with Mama Joy, and at a glance he saw
how it was; the Pilgrim had "butted in" and come along with them. He
supposed Flora really could not help it, but it was pretty hard
lines, all the same. For even in the range-land are certain rules of
etiquette which must be observed when men and women foregather in the
pursuit of pleasure. Billy remembered ruefully how a girl must dance
first, last, and oftenest with her partner of the evening, and must
eat supper with him besides, whether she likes or not; to tweak this
rule means to insult the man beyond forgiveness.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt me none if Flora _did_ cut him off short,"
Billy concluded, his eyes following them resentfully whenever they
whirled down to his end of the room. "The way I've got it framed up,
I'd spoke for her first--if Dilly told her what I said."

Still, what he thought privately did not seem to have much effect upon
realities. Flora he afterward saw intermittently while they danced a
quadrille together, and she made it plain that she had not considered
Billy as her partner; how could she, when he was trailing around over
the country with the round-up, and nobody knew whether he would come
or not? No, Mr. Walland did not come to the ranch so very often.
She added naively that he was awfully busy. He had ridden in with
them--and why not? Was there any reason--

Billy, though he could think of reasons in plenty, turned just then to
balance on the corner and swing, and to do many other senseless things
at the behest of the man on the platform, so that when they stood
together again for a brief space, both were breathless and she was
anxiously feeling her hair and taking out side combs and putting them
back again, and Billy felt diffident about interrupting her and said
no more about who was her partner.

An hour or so later he was looking about for her, meaning to dance
with her again, when a man pushed him aside hurriedly and went across
the floor and spoke angrily to another. Billy, moving aside so that he
could see, discovered Flora standing up with the Pilgrim for the dance
in another "set" that was forming. The man who had jostled him was
speaking to them angrily, but Billy could not catch the words.

"He's drunk," called the Pilgrim to the floor manager. "Put him out!"

Several men left their places and rushed over to them. Because Flora
was there and likely to be involved, Billy reached them first