This was too much for Dr. Cheyney, who shook with silent laughter; and there was a twinkle in Colonel Royall’s eye. “My dear Jinny,” he said pleasantly, “have you lived all these years without knowing that it’s Diana who bosses me?” “I call it a shameful exhibition,” continued Mrs. Eaton hotly. “I never have believed in mixing the classes--never! And to see my own cousin, and a young girl at that, dancing with that--that fellow! As far as it looked to other people, too, she enjoyed it.” “Did you, Diana?” queried Dr. Cheyney mildly, standing with his hands in his pockets, and a queer smile on his puckered old face. “I did,” said Diana, very red. “Whoopee!” exclaimed the doctor, and went off into convulsions of laughter. Mrs. Eaton’s wrath passed all bounds. “At your age,” she said loftily to Diana, “I should have been ashamed to confess it.” “I am,” said Diana. “I’m truly glad of it!” cried Mrs. Eaton. “Let’s get the stuffing out of it, Jinny,” suggested the colonel mildly. “I don’t know what you mean,” said Mrs. Eaton stiffly. “I should call that an extremely vulgar expression. I’m very glad that Diana is ashamed, and I only hope it will never occur again. In my day, young ladies of social prominence were careful who they danced with. I’m sure I can’t see any reason for Diana dancing with Mr. Trench. Any one who reads that abominable speech of his at Cresset’s can see, at a glance, that he’s an anarchist.” “Don’t you think that’s going some, Jinny?” argued the colonel mildly; “you might have said socialist, and still been rather strong.” “I never could see any difference,” retorted the lady firmly, settling herself in the most comfortable wicker armchair. “An anarchist blows up everything, and a socialist advises you to blow up everything; the difference is altogether too fine for me!” “Just the difference between cause and effect, eh, madam?” suggested the doctor delightedly, “and all ending in explosion.” “Exactly,” said Mrs. Eaton, with an air of finality. “Diana, why in the world did you dance with him?” “Because you and Jacob didn’t want me to,” Diana replied calmly. Both the old men chuckled, and Mrs. Eaton reddened with anger. “You are very unnatural, Diana,” she said severely. “Jacob and I have your interests at heart. He didn’t consider the man a proper person for you to be acquainted with!” Diana opened her lips to reply, but the colonel forestalled her, anticipating trouble. “He’s been my guest, Jinny,” he remarked placidly. Mrs. Eaton teased her head. “You’d entertain Tom, Dick and Harry for charity’s sake, Cousin David,” she retorted; “the first time I saw him here he brought six cents in change to your daughter.” “He’s honest, Mrs. Eaton,” said the doctor, twinkling; “he’s a Quaker.” “I don’t know anything about Quakers,” she replied stiffly, “I never met one!” and her tone signified that she did not want to.