'm going to give this
one to Mr. Surtaine if he wants it."

"Of course I want it," said Hal.

"Not that you deserve it," she went on. "You should have come around
earlier. I'm not in the habit of giving dances this late in the
evening."

"How could I break through the solid phalanx of supplicating admirers?"

"At least, you might have tried. I want to try that new step I saw you
doing with Mrs. Willard. And I always get what I want."

"Unfortunate young lady!"

"Why unfortunate?"

"To have nothing seem unattainable. Life must pall on you terribly."

"Indeed, it doesn't. I like being a spoiled child, don't you? Don't you
think it's fun having everything you want to buy, and having a leading
citizen for a father?"

"Is your father a leading citizen?" asked Hal, amused.

"Of course. So's yours. Neither of them quite knows which is the most
leading. Dr. Surtaine is the most popular, but I suppose Pop is the most
influential. Between the two of them they pretty much run this little
old burg. Of course," she added with careless insolence, "Pop has got it
all over Dr. Surtaine socially.

"I humbly feel that I am addressing local royalty," said Hal, smiling
sardonically.

"Who? Me? Oh, I'm only the irresponsible child of wealth and power. Dr.
Merritt called me that once--before I got him tamed." Turning to look at
the gray young man who stood not far off, and noting the quiet force and
competence of the face, Hal hazarded a guess to himself that the very
frank young barbarian with whom he was talking was none too modest in
her estimate of her own capacities. "Mrs. Willard is our local queen,"
she continued. "And Esme Elliot is the princess. Have you met Esme yet?"

"Yes."

"Then, of course, nobody else has a chance--so long as you're the newest
toy. Still, you might find a spare hour between-times to come and call
on us. Come on; let's dance."

"Pert" was the mildest term to which Hal reduced his characterization of
Miss Pierce, by the time the one-step ended. Nevertheless, he admitted
to himself that he had been amused. His one chief concern now, however,
was the engagement with Miss Elliot.

When finally his number came around, he found her calmly explaining to a
well-favored young fellow with a pained expression that he must have
made a mistake about the number, while Mrs. Willard regarded her with
mingled amusement and disfavor.

"Don't expect me to dance," she said as Hal approached. "I've twisted my