"No, listen, Carl; I'm dreadfully serious. I hope you didn't go and get dreadfully angry at me about Eddie Klemm. I know Eddie 's good friends with you. And I did want to have him come to my party. But you see it was this way: Mr. Griffin is our guest (he likes you a _lot_, Carl. Isn't he a dandy fellow? I guess Adelaide and Hazel 're just crazy about him. I think he's just as swell as the men in New York). Eddie and he didn't get along very well together. It isn't anybody's fault, I don't guess. I thought Eddie would be lots happier if he didn't come, don't you see?" "Oh no, of course; oh yes, I see. Sure. I can see how----Say, Gertie, I never did know you could look so grown-up. I suppose now you'll never play with me." "I want you to be a good friend of mine always. We always have been awfully good friends, haven't we?" "Yes. Do you remember how we ran away?" "And how the Black Dutchman chassssed us!" Her sweet and complacent voice was so cheerful that he lost his awe of her new magic and chortled: "And how we used to play pum-pum-pull-away." She delicately leaned her cheek on a finger-tip and sighed: "Yes, I wonder if we shall ever be so happy as when we were young.... I don't believe you care to play with me so much now." "Oh, gee! Gertie! Like to----!" The shyness was on him again. "Say, are you feeling better now? You're all over being sick?" "Almost, now. I'll be back in school right after vacation." "It's you that don't want to play, I guess.... I can't get over that long white dress. It makes you look so--oh, you know, so, uh----" "They're going to dance again. I wish I felt able to dance." "Let me sit and talk to you, Gertie, instead of dancing." "I suppose you're dreadfully bored, though, when you could be down at the billiard-parlor?" "Yes, I could! Not! Eddie Klemm and his fancy vest wouldn't have much chance, alongside of Griffin in his dress-suit! Course I don't want to knock Eddie. Him and me are pretty good side-kicks----" "Oh no; I understand. It's just that people have to go with their own class, don't you think?" "Oh Yes. Sure. I do think so, myself." Carl said it with a spurious society manner. In Gertie's aristocratic presence he desired to keep aloof from all vulgar persons. "Of course, I think we ought to make allowances for Eddie's father, Carl, but then----" She sighed with the responsibilities of _noblesse oblige_; and Carl gravely sighed with her. He brought a stool and sat at her feet. Immediately he was afraid that every one was watching him. Ray Cowles bawled to them, as he passed in the waltz, "Watch out for that Carl, Gert. He's a regular badix." Carl's scalp tickled, but he tried to be very offhand in remarking: "You must have gotten that dress in New York, didn't you? Why haven't you ever told me about New York? You've hardly told me anything at all." "Well, I like that! And you never been near me to give me a chance!"