Patty hesitated. "I'm willing, Mr. Cameron," she said, "but for one
thing. I'm awfully exacting in the matter of dancing, and if you're
not a good dancer it would go far to spoil our pleasant
acquaintance. Suppose we don't risk it."

Cameron considered. "I am a good dancer," he said, "but Marie has
told me that you're something phenomenal in that line. So I daresay
you will be disappointed in me. All right, suppose we don't risk
it."

Cameron half turned away, as if he had relinquished the idea of
dancing with Patty, and that young woman was somewhat taken aback.
She had assumed her new friend would insist on dancing with her, and
she had no mind to let him escape thus. She was just about to say,
impulsively, "Oh well, let's try it, anyway," when she caught a
gleam from the corner of his eye, and she realised in a flash that
he felt sure she would call him back!

This was enough for capricious Patty, and she turned away from him,
but not so quickly but that she saw his face suddenly fall, proving
that she had been quite right in her diagnosis of the case.

She smiled on Van Reypen, who was hovering near, and he came to her
at once.

"Our dance, Patty?" he said, eagerly, holding out his hand.

"Yes, Philip," she answered simply, laying her hand in his. and in a
moment they were circling the room.