Miss Tilly
James to Professor Strout. Miss James was a superb dancer, and as Quincy
looked at her his face showed his appreciation.

His partner saw the glance, and looking up to him said, "Don't you wish
you could dance as well as that?"

"I wish I could," said Quincy. "I have no doubt you can," he added,
looking at his partner's rosy face.

"Well," said she, "you do the best you can, and I'll do the same."

Professor Strout and Tilly did finely, and their performance gained them
an encore, which they granted. One by one the couples went under the
arch of extended arms, and one by one they showed their Terpsichorean
agility on the kitchen floor, over which Mandy Skinner had thoughtfully
sprinkled a handful of house sand.

At last came the turn of Quincy and his little partner, whose name was
unknown to him. He observed the grace with which she went through the
march, and when the dance came be wished he could have stood still and
watched her. Instead, he entered with his whole soul into the dance, and
at its conclusion he was astonished to hear the burst of applause and
cheers that fell upon his ears.

"Come along!" said his partner, and taking him by the hand she drew him
back through the arch, and the dance was repeated.

Three times in succession was this done in response to enthusiastic
applause, and Quincy was beginning to think that he would soon fall in
his tracks. He had no idea that any such fate would befall his partner,
for she seemed equal to an indefinite number of repetitions.

But, as has been said before, to all good things an end must come at
last, and when the old-fashioned Connecticut clock on the mantelpiece
clanged out the midnight hour, as if by magic a hush came over the
company and the jollities came to an end. Then followed a rush for
capes, and coats, and jackets, and shawls, and hats. Then came good-byes
and good-nights, and then the girls all kissed Huldy and her mother,
wished them long life and happiness, while their escorts stood quietly
by thinking of the pleasant homeward trips, and knowing in their hearts
that they should treasure more the pressure of the hand or the single
good-night kiss yet to come than they did the surprise party kisses that
had been theirs during the evening.

Mrs. Mason and 'Zekiel had prepared Alice for her homeward trip. Quincy
took occasion to seek out his partner in the reel to say good night, and
as he shook hands with her he said, "Would you consi