I walked all the way to the village with you yesterday, and wasn't a bit
tired--or hardly a bit--when I got back."

"You looked jaded to death," he said.

"I am afraid it is thumbs down," said Isabel, a touch of regret in her
voice.

"Oh no,--no!" entreated Dinah. "Mr. Studley, please--please say I may go!
I promise I won't dance too much. I promise I'll stop directly I'm
tired."

"My dear child," Scott said, "it would be sheer madness for you to
attempt to dance at all. Isabel," he turned to his sister with most
unusual sharpness, "how can you tantalize her in this way? Say No at
once! You know perfectly well she isn't fit for it."

Isabel made no attempt to argue the point. "You hear, Dinah?" she said.

A quick throb of anger went through Dinah. She disengaged herself
quickly, and stood up. "Mr. Studley," she said in a voice that quivered,
"it's not right--it's not fair! How can you know what is good for me? And
even if you did, what--what right--" She broke off, trembling and holding
to Isabel's chair to steady herself.

Scott's eyes, very level, very kind, were looking straight at her in a
fashion that checked the hot words on her lips. "My child, no right
whatever," he said. "I have no more power to control your actions than
the man in the moon. But if you want my approval to your scheme, I can't
give it you. I don't approve, and because I don't, I tell Isabel that she