"To-night is to be my first dinner dance, you know," she said. Faint
tints of excitement stained her white skin; the vivid scarlet contrast
of her mouth was almost startling. "On Thursday I was introduced--" she
explained, "and now I'm to have the gayest winter I ever dreamed
of. . . . And I'm going to leave you in a moment if Nina doesn't hurry
and come. Do you mind?"

"Of course I mind," he protested amiably, "but I suppose you wish to
devote several hours to dressing."

She nodded. "Such a dream of a gown! Nina's present! You'll see it. I
hope Gerald will be here to see it. He promised. You'll say you like it
if you do like it, won't you?"

"I'll say it, anyway."

"Oh, well--if you are contented to be commonplace like other men--"

"I've no ambition to be different at my age."

"Your age?" she repeated, looking up quickly. "You are as young as Nina,
aren't you? Half the men in the younger set are no younger than you--and
you know it," she concluded--"you are only trying to make me say so--and
you've succeeded. I'm not very experienced yet. Does tea bring wisdom,
Captain Selwyn?" pouring herself a cup. "I'd better arm myself
immediately." She sank back into the depths of the chair, looking gaily
at him over her lifted cup. "To my rapid education in worldly wisdom!"
She nodded, and sipped the tea almost pensively.

He certainly did seem young there in the firelight, his narrow,