"I think I should much prefer not, myself," she returned, lifting her head
to face him gravely. "I believe if I cared to dance more than once with
one, I should like to dance all of them with him."

Mr. Carewe frowned. "I trust that you discovered none last night whom you
wished to honor with your entire programme?"

"No," she laughed, "not last night."

Her father tossed away his cigar abruptly "Is it too much to hope," he
inquired, "that when you discover a gentleman with whom you desire to
waltz all night, you will omit to mention the fact to him?"

There was a brief flash of her eye as she recalled her impulse to take his
hand, but she immediately looked at him with such complete seriousness
that he feared his irony had been thrown away.

"I'll remember not to mention it," she answered. "I'll tell him you told
me not too."

"I think you may retire now," said Mr. Carewe, sharply.

She rose from the steps, went to the door, then turned at the threshold.
"Were all your friends here, papa?"

"Do you think that every ninny who gabbled in my house last night was my
friend?" he said, angrily. "There was one friend of mine, Mrs. Tanberry,
who wasn't here, because she is out of town; but I do not imagine that you
are inquiring about women. You mean: Was every unmarried male idiot who
could afford a swallow-tailed coat and a clean pair of gloves cavorting