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ady's as good as any lady in the world." "Kipling says 'Any lady and Judy O'Grady under the skin.'" "Sure," said Key, winking broadly at Rose. "My case, for instance," continued Peter, finishing his glass. "I got a girl up here that's spoiled. Spoildest darn girl I ever saw. Refused to kiss me; no reason whatsoever. Led me on deliberately to think sure I want to kiss you and then plunk! Threw me over! What's the younger generation comin' to?" "Say tha's hard luck," said Key--"that's awful hard luck." "Oh, boy!" said Rose. "Have another?" said Peter. "We got in a sort of fight for a while," said Key after a pause, "but it was too far away." "A fight?--tha's stuff!" said Peter, seating himself unsteadily. "Fight 'em all! I was in the army." "This was with a Bolshevik fella." "Tha's stuff!" exclaimed Peter, enthusiastic. "That's what I say! Kill the Bolshevik! Exterminate 'em!" "We're Americuns," said Rose, implying a sturdy, defiant patriotism. "Sure," said Peter. "Greatest race in the world! We're all Americans! Have another." They had another. VI At one o'clock a special orchestra, special even in a day of special orchestras, arrived at Delmonico's, and its members, seating themselves arrogantly around the piano, took up the burden of providing music for the Gamma Psi Fraternity. They were headed by a famous flute-player, distinguished throughout New York for his feat of standing on his head and shimmying with his shoulders while he played the latest jazz on his flute. During his performance the lights were extinguished except for the spotlight on the flute-player and another roving beam that threw flickering shadows and changing kaleidoscopic colors over the massed dancers. Edith had danced herself into that tired, dreamy state habitual only with debutantes, a state equivalent to the glow of a noble soul after several long highballs. Her mind floated vaguely on the bosom of her music; her partners changed with the unreality of phantoms under the colorful shifting dusk, and to her present coma it seemed as if days had passed since the dance began. She had talked on many fragmentary subjects with many men. She had been kissed once and made love to six times. Earlier in the evening different under-graduates had danced with her, but now, like all the more popular girls there, she had her own entourage--that is, half a dozen gallants had singled her out or were alternating her charms
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