came to Westerfelt.

"You must stir round," she said; "I want you to git acquainted. Come
over here an' talk to Sarah Wambush." He followed her across the room.
Sarah was seated next to Harriet Floyd. As he sat down near Sarah, he
fancied that Harriet, whose profile was towards him, gave him a glance
out of the corner of her eye, but she turned her head and continued
talking to Toot Wambush. There was something he liked in the ease of
her position as she sat, balling her handkerchief in a hand hidden half
in the pocket of her jacket. He thought her easily the prettiest girl
in the room, and he vaguely resented the fact that she was receiving
marked attention from a man of Wambush's character.

He wanted to knock the fellow's hat off, and tell him that a new man
had come into the settlement who could not, and would not, stand such
nonsense in the presence of ladies.

He listened to Sarah's prattle with only half an ear, adding a word now
and then to keep her tongue going, till another dance was called.
Nelse Baker asked Sarah to be his partner, and she rose. Finding
himself alone, Westerfelt got up. As he did so, he caught another
glance from the corner of Harriet Floyd's eye, but she looked away
quickly. She thought he was going to ask her to dance with him when he
turned towards her, but he had decided to invite a little plain girl
who sat next the wall, hemmed in by the crossed legs of Wambush. The
girl flushed over the unexpected attention and rose at once.

"That couple don't seem to be dancing," Westerfelt remarked, with a
glance at Wambush and Harriet, as he and his partner took a place in
front of the fire.