"Save a few for us," Raridan pleaded airily as the men he had introduced hovered about Evelyn's guests. He made no effort to speak to Evelyn, who was besieged by a throng that wished to congratulate her or to dance with her. She gave Saxton her fingers through a rift in the crowd and he turned again to find himself deserted. Raridan was dancing with Belle Marshall and Annie Warren nodded to him over the shoulder of a youth who had waltzed her away. While Saxton waited for the quadrilles to which his dancing limitations restricted him, he made a circuit of the room. Mrs. Whipple was holding forth to a group of dowagers but turned from them to him. "I'm hardly sure of you without Warry, and this is the first time I've seen you alone. Of course, you were looking for me!" "That's what I came for." "Please say something more like that. I saw you come in, young man; they are very nice girls, too." She was trying to remember who had told her that Saxton was stupid. "How did you like it? This was your first, I think." "Beautiful! charming! An enchanting entertainment!" "Is that for you and Warry, too? He always has to approve everything here." "Oh, I can't speak for him," John answered; "we don't necessarily always agree." "I'll have to find out later, from him. You and Warry appear to be fast friends, and he talks a great deal. What has he told you about me?" "He said you were kind to strange young men; but that wasn't information." "You'll do, I think. Here comes Warry now." Raridan came along looking for a country girl whose brother he knew, and with whom he had engaged the dance which was now in progress. "I think she's hiding from me," he complained to Mrs. Whipple, "but the gods are kind; I can talk to you. The general is a generous man." He regarded critically a great bunch of red roses which she held in her lap. "That's why the florist didn't have any for me." "Oh, these are Evelyn's," explained Mrs. Whipple. "She asked me to keep them for her--the king's gift, you know. I feel highly honored." "By the king? Impossible! I'll give you something nice to let me drop them into the alley." "Is it as bad as that? Well, good luck to you!" He stood with his hands in his pockets looking musingly out over the heads of the dancers. Mrs. Whipple eyed him attentively. "You know you always tell me all of them," she persisted; but he was following a fair head and a pair of graceful shoulders and ever and anon a laughing face that flashed into sight and then out of range. His rural friend's sister loomed before him, in an attitude of dejection against the wall, and he hastened to her with contrition, and made paradise fly under her feet.