Miss Chamberlain saw him--as did plenty of others--and she indicated to Burgoyne that he should dance with Stephanie. She herself stopped beside Mrs. Burleston. Burgoyne understood--and putting his arm around Stephanie's waist he swung her away. Porshinger saw the play--and smiled--and Burgoyne detected the smile and knew its cause. "That fellow Porshinger," he remarked, "is becoming entirely too persistent." "Do you think so?" Stephanie laughed. "I think so--most decidedly. What does Pendleton mean by permitting it?" "What has Mr. Pendleton to say about it?" she inquired sweetly. "What have I to say about it, either?" he replied. "Just this, Stephanie: We're your friends--we've been your friends from the cradle, so to speak, and I, for one, am not going to let that miserable bounder compromise you without making a strenuous protest. It's beginning to be talked about in the Clubs and drawing-rooms. His attentions to you are causing comment. You don't know it, of course, but it has become decidedly marked in the last couple of weeks. At least half the people in this room saw you enter, saw Porshinger start across--and they stopped talking and watched you. Maybe you didn't notice it, but Gladys and I did, and----" "I noticed it," Stephanie answered, "and it is absurd--this talk. Mr. Porshinger has never been anything but most courteous." "Of course he hasn't. All _your_ friends know that, but----" "I have a bad reputation back of me," she interrupted. "Well, I can't see how I shall ever manage to keep out of its shadow. However, I promise to be more circumspect. To be quite frank with you, Sheldon, I positively dislike Porshinger. I'm doing this with a purpose." "I know," he said; "but you can't afford it--it's too compromising. You can't control Porshinger. He is a cad--and you don't understand cads. They are not governed by the same instincts as the men of your class. Your scheme would work with them but will _not_ work with Porshinger. He will misinterpret and _presume_." "I think I can control him," she answered. "He has manifested no disposition to presume." "Oh, no!--the disposition and the presumption will be synchronous in their manifestation, if I know anything of cads--and Porshinger's kind in particular. I wish Pendleton were here--where has he been the last four weeks?" "I haven't the slightest idea." He looked down at her thoughtfully. "Well," he said, "I wish he would come back and get on the job. He is shirking his duty." "And that duty is?" she asked sweetly. "To look after you--now don't flare up and explode! You know that every woman needs a man to look after her--and Pendleton is the particular man for this particular woman." "Don't be silly, Sheldon!" Stephanie laughed. "That's better--more natural to you. Gee! what a dancer you are! There is more ravishing rhythm in your swing than any one's I know. It's simply perfect." "I might say the same of yours." "Don't. I'm intoxicated enough as it is."