'Really?'

'No doubt of it. I won't do things by halves for my best friend. I
have thought of the ball-dress, and of other things also.'

'And is my dancing good enough?'

'Quite--quite.' He paused, lapsed into thought, and looked at her.
'Margery,' he said, 'do you trust yourself unreservedly to me?'

'O yes, sir,' she replied brightly; 'if I am not too much trouble:
if I am good enough to be seen in your society.'

The Baron laughed in a peculiar way. 'Really, I think you may assume
as much as that.--However, to business. The ball is on the twenty-
fifth, that is next Thursday week; and the only difficulty about the
dress is the size. Suppose you lend me this?' And he touched her on
the shoulder to signify a tight little jacket she wore.

Margery was all obedience. She took it off and handed it to him.
The Baron rolled and compressed it with all his force till it was
about as large as an apple-dumpling, and put it into his pocket.

'The next thing,' he said, 'is about getting the consent of your
friends to your going. Have you thought of this?'

'There is only my father. I can tell him I am invited to a party,
and I don't think he'll mind. Though I would rather not tell him.'

'But it strikes me that you must inform him something of what you