"Not at all"--Essie had looked at Mrs. Terriberry bravely--"I will do
whatever is to be done."

She picked up a tray of fresh glasses for the table in the well
patronized anteroom as she spoke and passed through the swinging door in
time to see Dr. Harpe's uplifted eyes and blush and Van Lennop's
answering smile.

The glasses jingled upon the tray in her unsteady hand, but her little
mouth shut in a red, straight line as she nerved herself for the ordeal
of passing them. She came toward them with her head erect and a set look
upon her young, almost childish face, and Van Lennop catching sight of
her intuitively guessed something of her thoughts and interpreted aright
the strained look upon her white face.

"She thinks me disloyal," flashed into his mind, and he all but smiled
at the idea.

Swift as was the passing of the softly interested expression upon Van
Lennop's face, Dr. Harpe caught it and involuntarily turned her head to
follow his gaze.

Essie Tisdale! Her face hardened and all her slumbering jealousy and
hatred of the girl leaped to life in a mad, unreasoning desire to do her
harm, bodily harm; she tingled with a longing to inflict physical pain.

The whirling dancers made it necessary for Essie to pass close, close
enough to brush the skirts of the women occupying the chairs along the
wall, and as she came toward them with her head erect, looking straight
before her, Dr. Harpe acted upon an unconquerable impulse and slid her
slippered toe from beneath her skirt. There was a crash of glass as the
girl tripped and fell headlong. Tinhorn Frank guffawed; a few of his ilk
did likewise, but the laughter died upon their lips at the blazing
glance Van Lennop flashed them.

"Essie, you are hurt! Your hand is bleeding!"

Dr. Harpe shut her teeth hard at the concern in Van Lennop's voice as he
helped the girl to her feet, but there was solicitude in her tone when
she said:

"Let me see if there's glass in it, Essie."

The girl hesitated for an instant, then with an enigmatical smile
extended her hand, but there was nothing enigmatical in the sidelong
look which Van Lennop gave Dr. Harpe, a look that, had she seen it,
would for once have made her grateful for her sex. Subconsciously he had
seen the slight movement of her foot and leg as Essie Tisdale passed,
but had not grasped its significance until the girl fell.

"I don't think there's any glass in it, but wash it out well and bring
me a bandage. You go