him to Denham, and forthwith handed the bony cousin to his safe-keeping. 

 “She’s a great pill, isn’t she?” he began, as the couple moved away; and then he stopped short. “What’s the matter?” he asked. “Sick?” 

 “I hope not,” said Jack, trying to smile. 

 “You look hipped,” his friend said anxiously. “Better go get a bracer; you’ll have time if you hurry. You can’t be sick before dinner, because I’ve been moving all the cards around so as to get Betty next to you, and I could never get them back as they were before if you gave out at the last minute.” 

 “I don’t believe I’m ill,” said Jack, trying to realize whether the news that she was to be his (for dinner) made him feel any better or only just about the same. “I don’t know what ails me. Do I look seedy?” 

 “You look sort of knocked out, that’s all,” said Burnett. “Perhaps, though, it was just the having to talk to my cousin Maude so long. Isn’t she the limit, though? But I’ll tell you the one big thing about that girl: She’s just the biggest kind of a catch. She was my uncle’s eldest child; she’s worth twelve times what any of us ever will be.” 

 “I’m sure she’ll need it,” said Jack heartily. 

 “You’re right there,” laughed his friend; “but you’ve got to hurry and get your brandy now if you want it, because they’ll be going out in a minute.” 

 “Oh, I’m all right,” said the poor chap, straightening his shoulders back a little. “I can make out well enough, I’m sure. I think I’d better go over by your sister and let her know that I’m ready when the hour of need shall strike.” 

 Burnet nodded and then he went on and his friend walked down the room, no one but himself knowing that he was making his way into the lion’s (or, rather, lioness’s) den. 

 And then he paused there beside her. Oh! she Was seven million times lovelier close to than far away. All the rot about Venus and statues and paintings and Helen of Troy was nowhere beside Her and he felt his strength come surging mightily upward and then—oh Heavens! 

 She looked up—looked so sweetly up—right into his eyes and smiled. 

 “I expect you are to take me into dinner,” she said; and at her words the man who had been talking to her murmured something meaningless and got out of their way. 

 Prev. P 21/184 next