"Good-by," said Joel with a smile as cheery, for he really liked her the
best of all Polly's girl friends.

After the dance, supper was announced, and everybody marched out to the
supper room; the dancers with their partners following.

"Will you allow me?" Mr. Alstyne seeing the movement, got out of his
chair and offered his arm to Polly with a courtly bow.

"Oh! don't think of me, sir," she began, blushing very hard. "Joel will
look out for me."

"I much prefer waiting upon Miss Polly Pepper to any other lady in the
room," said Mr. Alstyne, with another bow, courtlier than the first,
"since Mrs. Alstyne is provided for. See, Polly, Mr. King is taking her
out. And your mother has her cavalier, in Mr. Cabot; and Mrs. Whitney
has already gone out with Mr. Fairfax. So if you don't accept my
services, I shall be entirely left out in the cold." He stood offering
his arm, and Polly, laughing merrily, put her hand within it.

"It's very good of you, sir," she said simply, as they fell into step
and joined the procession.

"I'm afraid if you had trusted to Joel's tender mercies, you would have
fared hardly," said Mr. Alstyne, laughing. "Look, Polly, over yonder in
the corner." They were just passing into the supper room, and now caught
sight of Joel chatting away to a very pretty little creature, in blue
and white, as busily and unconcernedly as if he had done that sort of
thing for years.