When Paddy first arrived Doreen had made her take off her cloak and show herself, and he had then, as she well knew, though he said nothing, criticised her keenly. Doreen had been enraptured. “You look splendid!” was her verdict. “I don’t know what it is about you, Paddy, but somehow you always manage to look striking nowadays. Don’t you think so, Lawrence? Here am I, got up at endless expense, mentioned in the fashionable papers as ‘pretty Miss Doreen Blake,’ and yet, when we go into the room together, I’m sure everyone will look at you.” “If they do, it will only be my hair,” laughed Paddy. “It’s so difficult not to stare at carroty hair.” “Stuff!” from Doreen. “But am I not right, Lawrence?” Lawrence was standing a little apart, lighting a cigarette, and he did not answer for a moment. “Paddy has a lot of original ideas,” he said at last, “and they somehow cling about her. The crowd is always struck with anything original.” Paddy was pulling on a long glove. “I guess I’ll have this stocking in half before I’ve done,” she remarked, with studied unconcern, “and then I shall have to pin it to my sleeve to show I possess it, which is, after all, the main thing about it.” When they reached the Hon. Grant-Carew’s, however, and had got rid of their cloaks, Lawrence came up to them while chatting with Gwen and asked Paddy how many dances she would give him. Paddy tried to prevaricate, but both Gwen and Doreen were watching, and Lawrence persisted. He had purposely chosen that moment, knowing she could hardly refuse before the other two. “Give him three,” said Gwen decisively. “I’ll allow that number, as he’s a lovely waltzer, and you’re sure to enjoy them; but the rest of your programme I’m going to superintend myself and see that you don’t get any tiresome partners at all.” Paddy bit her lip and flashed a look at Lawrence that seemed to dare him to take advantage of her position. He, however, only smiled slightly with his usual impassivity, and wrote her name three times upon his programme. He then glanced at Gwen significantly, and she, in an easy, natural fashion, possessed herself of Paddy’s programme and handed it to him. Paddy was inwardly furious, but obliged to take it with a good grace. When they had their first dance, however, she hardly spoke, and afterward insisted upon remaining in the dance-room, so that she could watch the other guests instead of keeping up a conversation. Lawrence pretended not to notice, but chatted pleasantly about the people and pointed out any one of note to her. The same thing happened at each of his dances, and whereas Paddy was brilliant with enjoyment with all her other partners, she immediately became constrained and silent with him. And each time Lawrence chatted in his pleasantest way, and pretended not to notice it.