"Oh, Mrs. Allen! Please!" Missy's eyes pleaded even more than her
voice.

"Well, I don't see why not," decided Kitty's mother, anxious to
return to her own daughter. "Jim will take good care of you, and
Mrs. Bonner will send you all home early."

When Mrs. Allen, accompanied by her nephew, had hurried away, Missy
had an impulse to wander alone, for a moment, out into the
deliciously alluring night. She loved the night always, but just now
it looked indescribably beautiful. The grounds were deserted, but
the lanterns, quivering in the breeze, seemed to be huge live glow-
worms suspended up there in the dark. It was enchantment. Stepping
lightly, holding her breath, sniffing at unseen scents, hearing
laughter and dance music from far away as if in another world, she
penetrated farther and farther into the shadows. An orange-coloured
moon was pushing its way over the horizon, so close she could surely
reach out her hands and touch it!

And then, too near to belong to any other world, and quite
distinctly, she heard a voice beyond the rose arbour:

"Oh, yes! Words sound well! But the fact remains you didn't ask me
for the first dance."

Missy knew that drawling yet strangely assured voice. Almost, with
its tones, she could see the languorously uplifted eyes, the
provoking little gesture of fan at lips. Before she could move,
whether to advance or to flee, Raymond replied: