won't. He doesn't want me to. He never said so, but I just know."

Vi shrugged her shoulders.

"You have a lot of sense," she said. "There's nothing women dislike
more. Good-by." She held out her hand and stepped toward him. She seemed
to misjudge the distance and half lose her balance. The full length of
her quivering body came up against Lewis. He felt her hot, sweet breath
almost on his mouth. He flushed. His arms started up from his sides and
then dropped again.

"Touch and go!" he gasped.

"Which?" drawled Vi, her mouth almost on his, her wide, gray eyes so
near that he closed his to save himself from blindness.

"Better make it 'go,'" said Lewis, and grinned.

"You've saved yourself," said Vi, with a laugh. "If you hadn't grinned,
I'd have kissed you."




CHAPTER XXIX


Lewis went to the Ruttle-Marter ball determined to be gay. He searched
for Vi, but did not find her. By twelve o'clock he had to admit that he
was more than bored, and said so to a neighbor.