esence even when disliking her the most.
To-night he was more strongly aware of it than ever.

"You are enjoying the evening?"

"Isn't that apparent?" A twinkle shone for a moment in his eyes. "And
you?" adding quickly, "An unnecessary question--your face is the
answer."

She laughed lightly.

"It doesn't belie me, for I like this--immensely. Flossying up
occasionally helps me keep my self-respect. You didn't expect to find
this sort of thing out here, did you?"

He looked at her oddly, not sure that she was serious. Was it possible
that she did not see the raw absurdity of it all? Somehow he had thought
that she "belonged" a little more than this; her unusual self-possession
gave the impression perhaps. He glanced at the attenuated Mrs. Percy
Parrott, at Mrs. Sylvanus Starr, exhilarated by numerous glasses of
punch, capering through an impromptu cakewalk with Tinhorn Frank, at
Mrs. Andy P. Symes, solemn and as stiffly erect as a ramrod, trying to
manage her first train, and Van Lennop's lips curved upward ever so
slightly, but his voice had the proper gravity when he replied:

"Scarcely."

She shot a quick look at him.

"You _don't_ like it," she asserted.

Van Lennop smiled slightly at her keenness.

"To be candid, I don't. The West has always been a bit of a hobby of
mine since I was a lad and adored Davy Crockett and strained my eyes
over the adventures of Lewis and Clark. I like the picturesqueness, the
naturalness, the big, kind spirit of the old days and I'm sorry to see
them go--prematurely--for that which takes their place makes no appeal
to the heart or the imagination. It is only a--well--a poor imitation of
something else.

"With no notion of criticising my host, I must say, that in my opinion
those who introduce these innovations"--he included the ballroom with a
slight movement of her folded fan--"are robbing the West of its greatest
charm. But then," he concluded lightly, and with a slight inclination of
his head, "if I were a woman and the results of--er--'flossying up' were
as gratifying as in your case, for instance, I might welcome such
opportunities."

Dr. Harpe raised her eyes to his for one fluttering second and achieved
a blush while he smiled down upon her with the faint, impersonal smile
which was oftenest on his face.

* * * * *

"Just this once, my dear, and I won't ask you to go in there again. I
know how hard it must be for you."