"Oh, sure!" Bert agreed easily. "Unless, of course," he added
after a pause, "all the other fellows do something else."

"Oh of course!" agreed Nancy, little dreaming that she and her
husband were in these words voicing the new creed that was to be
theirs.




Chapter Twenty-one


Up to this time it might have been said that the Bradleys had
grasped their destiny, and controlled it with a high hand. Now
their destiny grasped them, and they became its helpless prey.
Neither Nancy nor Bert was at all conscious of this; in deciding
to do just what all the other persons at the Gardens did, they
merely felt that they were accepted, that they were a part at last
of this wholly fascinating and desirable group.

At first it meant only that they went to the fortnightly dinner at
the club, and danced, on alternate Saturday nights. Nancy danced
exquisitely, even after her ten busy and tiring years, and Bert
was always proud of her when he saw her dancing. The dances broke
up very late; the Bradleys were reproached for going home at two
o'clock. They both usually felt a little tired and jaded the next
day, and not quite so ready to tramp with the children, or
superintend brush fires or snow-shovelling as had once been their