at him over her
shoulder.

"What a splendid night we have had!" said Cameron, ignoring her wrath.
"And what awfully nice people."

Mandy grunted and in silence continued her way down the lane, picking
her steps between the muddy spots and pools left by the rain.

After some minutes Cameron, who was truly sorry for the girl, ventured
to resume the conversation.

"Didn't you enjoy the evening, Mandy?"

"No, I didn't!" she replied shortly. "I can't dance and they all know
it."

"Why don't you learn, Mandy? You could dance if you practised."

"I can't. I ain't like the other girls. I'm too clumsy."

"Not a bit of it," said Cameron. "I've watched you stepping about the
house and you are not a bit clumsy. If you only practised a bit you
would soon pick up the schottische."

"Oh, you're just saying that because you know I'm mad," said Mandy,
slightly mollified.

"Not at all. I firmly believe it. I saw you try a schottische to-night
with Perkins and--"

"Oh, shucks!" said Mandy. "He don't give me no show. He gets mad when I
tramp on him."

"All you want is practise, Mandy," replied Cameron.

"Oh, I ain't got no one to show me," said Mandy. "Perkins he won't be
bothered, and--and--there's no one else," she added shyly.

"Why, I--I would show you," replied Cameron, every instinct of
chivalry demanding that he should play up to her lead, "if I had any
opportunity."

"When?" said Mandy simply.

"When?" echoed Cameron, taken aback. "Why, the first chance we get."

As he spoke the word they reached the new bridge that crossed the deep
ditch that separated the lane from the high road.

"Here's a good place right here on this bridge," said Mandy with a
giggle.

"But we have no music," stammered Cameron, aghast at the prospect of a
dancing lesson by moonlight upon the public highway.

"Oh, pshaw!" said Mandy. "We don't need music. You can just count. I
seen Isa showin' Mack once and they didn't have no music. But," she
added, regarding Cameron with suspicion, "if you don't want to--"

"Oh, I shall be glad to, but wouldn't the porch be better?" he replied
in desperation.

"The porch! That's so," assented Mandy eagerly. "Let's hurry before the
rest come home." So saying, she set off at a great pace, followed
by Cameron ruefully wondering to what extent the lesson in the
Terpsichorean art might be expected to go.

As soon as the porch was reached Mandy cried--

"Now let's at the thing. I'm going to learn th