"Sure you have," he said. "That's why I'm here, to help you out. Now you be calm, and there's no reason why you two can't have the evening of your young lives. I wish I could fall in love. It must be bully." "Carter----!" "Got his note, didn't you?" "Yes, I----" "Here we are," said Carter. "Miss Archibald, I would like to present Mr. Grosvenor." Somebody bowed in front of me, and then straightened up and looked down at me. IT WAS THE MAN OF THE PICTURE, LITTLE MUSTACHE AND ALL. My mouth went perfectly dry. It is all very well to talk about Romance and Love, and all that sort of thing. But I have concluded that amorous experiences are not always agreeable. And I have discovered something else. The moment anybody is crazy about me I begin to hate him. It is curious, but I am like that. I only care as long as they, or he, is far away. And the moment I touched H's white kid glove, I knew I loathed him. "Now go to it, you two," Carter said in cautious tone. "Don't be conspicuous. That's all." And he left us. "Suppose we dance this. Shall we?" said H. And the next moment we were gliding off. He danced very well. I will say that. But at the time I was too much occupied with hating him to care about dancing, or anything. But I was compelled by my pride to see things through. We are a very proud family and never show our troubles, though our hearts be torn with anguish. "Think," he said, when we had got away from the band, "think of our being together like this!" "It's not so surprising, is it? We've got to be together if we are dancing." "Not that. Do you know, I never knew so long a day as this has been. The thought of meeting you--er--again, and all that." "You needn't rave for my benefit," I said freezingly. "You know perfectly well that you never saw me before." "Barbara! With your dear little letter in my breast pocket at this moment!" "I didn't know men had breast pockets in their evening clothes." "Oh well, have it your own way. I'm too happy to quarrel," he said. "How well you dance--only, let me lead, won't you? How strange it is to think that we have never danced together before!" "We must have a talk," I said desperately. "Can't we go somewhere, away from the noise?" "That would be conspicuous, wouldn't it, under the circumstances? If we are to overcome the family objection to me, we'll have to be cautious, Barbara." "Don't call me Barbara," I snapped. "I know perfectly well what you think of me, and I----" "I think you are wonderful," he said. "Words fail me when I try to tell you what I am thinking. You've saved the cotillion for me, haven't you? If not, I'm going to claim it anyhow. IT IS MY RIGHT." He said it in the most determined manner, as if everything was settled. I felt like a rat in a trap, and Carter, watching from a corner, looked exactly like a cat. If he had taken his hand in its white glove and washed his face with it, I would hardly have been surprised.