shot two moving gleams over dark beech-hedges that rustled crisply in
the northeast wind. Again and again she sneezed in the pleasure of that
homeward flight, and the light foam of her nostrils flicked the faces
of those behind. And they sat silent, thrilling at the touch of each
other's arms, their cheeks glowing in the windy darkness, their eyes
shining and fixed before them.

The second groom awoke suddenly from his dream.

"If I owned that 'orse, like Mr. George, and had such a topper as this
'ere Mrs. Bellew beside me, would I be sittin' there without a word?"




CHAPTER V

MRS. PENDYCE'S DANCE

Mrs. Pendyce believed in the practice of assembling county society for
the purpose of inducing it to dance, a hardy enterprise in a county
where the souls, and incidentally the feet, of the inhabitants were
shaped for more solid pursuits. Men were her chief difficulty, for in
spite of really national discouragement, it was rare to find a girl who
was not "fond of dancing."

"Ah, dancing; I did so love it! Oh, poor Cecil Tharp!" And with a queer
little smile she pointed to a strapping red-faced youth dancing with her
daughter. "He nearly trips Bee up every minute, and he hugs her so, as
if he were afraid of falling on his head. Oh, dear, what a bump! It's