“Very well,” was her surrender, but neither Elinor who was daintily whirling about the polished floor in exuberance over her triumph over the mother she was coming to think an oppressor, nor Hugh Benton who was looking at his watch with a slight show of impatience, saw the tears in the mother’s eyes which she was heroically forcing back. Elinor stopped suddenly in the middle of a pirouette to cock her head daintily to one side listening. “There they come, Dad,” she cried eagerly, “Miss Elinor Benton is about to be introduced to society. I wish Howard would hurry. He promised not to be late for anything.” Hugh Benton’s face wore an annoyed frown. “I can’t understand what’s keeping him,” he complained. “He should have been here at five o’clock.” “Professor Anderson positively promised to grant him a leave of absence for to-night, didn’t he?” Elinor asked. “I know he said Howard was not deserving of any favor, but I will certainly be happy when my big brother finishes sowing his wild oats.” “Reckon we all will be, little girl,” her father laughed. “But we must have a little patience. ’Spose he’s just got to sew a little crop or two.” Marjorie’s level eyes looked deeply into her husband’s as she asked him calmly, meaningly: “You mean to say you believe it absolutely necessary for a boy to sow ‘wild oats’ as you call them? I don’t remember ever having heard of your doing so.” Hugh shrugged. “Different with me,” he answered. “I didn’t go to college— I didn’t mingle with a set of boys such as Howard is thrown in contact with, and I hadn’t a father who could afford my indulging in any escapades.” “I’m afraid there will be an escapade too many one of these days.” “You’re such a confirmed pessimist, my dear! The boy’s all right—leave him alone.” And Hugh turned aside indicating he had said his last word. “He’ll turn up any minute, so don’t think any more about it.” The arrival of the first guests ended further discussion, and shortly the reception hall, drawing room and ballroom were thronged with the merry assemblage. Promptly at 9:30, the first strains of music floated out from a balcony screened with ferns and roses. The dance was on. To say that Elinor was having a glorious time would be putting it mildly. She fairly reveled in it all. She felt that she had attained the heights as the center of attraction, with a bevy of young men surrounding her, politely fighting for the privilege of a dance. She exulted in the thought that this was only the beginning of wonderful days and nights that lay before her. Surely she possessed everything to make her happy—Youth, beauty and riches. Life was so wonderful seen through the rosiest of glasses. Eleven o’clock! Still no Howard. Elinor took a few moments to cast some resentful thoughts Howard-ward, but the fun was too fast and absorbing for her to worry more than that few moments over her brother’s dereliction.