"Kind of you," returned Hal, gratefully. "But I fear I must remain a
wall-flower, or a human palm to-night. I don't know how to dance."

"You don't?" murmured Featherstone, in amazement. "Good heavens! I
thought even the bootblacks knew how to dance in these modern days!"

Jacob Farnum knew how to dance, but did not care for it this evening.
He was much in love with his young wife, and, as she was not here, the
ballroom floor had no attractions for him. So he and Hal retired to
seats at the side of the ballroom.

"Jack is dancing with a famously pretty girl--the loveliest of many
that are here to-night," smiled the shipbuilder. "I trust he won't have
his head turned."

"Don't worry, sir," Hal rejoined, briefly.

The second dance, also, Jack Benson enjoyed with Mlle. Nadiboff. The
young woman herself arranged that gracefully. At the end of the second
dance Jack led his partner to a seat. Then she sent him for a glass of
water.

Her cobwebby lace handkerchief fell to the floor. M. Lemaire, passing
at that instant, espied it, picked it up, and returned it to her with
the bow of a polished man of the world.

"Flatter the young fellow! Make him dance attendance on you to the point
that he forgets all else," whispered the man.

"Trust me for that," murmured the girl.