"Miss Dane ought to go upon the stage; she would make her fortune," said
a deep voice at her elbow.

She turned sharply round and met the dark, sinister eyes and pale face
of Dr. Oleander.

"Miss Dane forgets me," he said, with a low bow, "among so many
presentations. Will you kindly reintroduce me, Mr. Ingelow?"

Mr. Ingelow obeyed with no very good grace; the sparkling, blue-eyed
coquette had made wild work with his artist heart already.

"Mrs. Walraven desired me to bring you to her for a moment," the suave
doctor said, offering his arm. "May I have the honor?"

Mr. Ingelow's eyes flashed angrily, and Mollie, seeing it, and being
a born coquette, took the proffered arm at once.

It was the merest trifle grandmamma wanted, but it served the doctor's
turn--he had got the beauty of the evening, and he meant to keep her.

Mollie listened to his endless flow of complimentary small-talk just
as long as she chose, and then glided coolly away to flirt with a third
adorer, the eminent young lawyer, Mr. Joseph Sardonyx.

Mollie hovered between those three the livelong evening; now it was
the handsome artist, now the polished doctor, now the witty, satirical
lawyer, flirting in the most unpardonable manner.