THE MAN OF THE EVENING.
To be perfectly fair, it was not that Dorice gave me too few instructions, but rather too many.
"I'm over at Naughton," she said through the telephone; "I'm staying with some people named Perry."
"How ripping of you to ring me up!" I said, flattered; "it's heavenly to hear your voice, even if I can't see you."
It was a pretty little speech, but Dorice ignored it.
"There is a dance on here, to-night," she continued hastily, "and at the last minute they are short of men, so I've promised to get them someone."
I gripped the receiver firmly and groaned. I knew what was coming.
Dorice proposed that I should leave the office instantly and catch the next train to Naughton.
She adopted rushing tactics with which it was practically impossible to cope.
All the time I was explaining to her how busy I was, and how I found it out of the question even to think of leaving the office, she kept on giving me varied and hurried directions.
I was to be sure to remember the steps she had taught me last time.
I was not to take any notice of a dark girl in a red dress, because she wasn't the slightest bit nice when you really got to know her.
I was to drive straight to the hall, where Dorice would be looking out for me.
"And now I can't stay any longer, and you must fly and catch the train, and so 'good-bye,' and I'll keep some dances for you!"
"Half a minute," I protested. "Where do I——? What is the name of——?"
But Dorice, with that delightful suddenness which is one of her most charming characteristics, had rung off, leaving my destination a mystery.
However, there was no time to worry about details. I told a dreadful lie to a man with whom I had an appointment, left the office and did wonderful things in the way of changing my clothes, packing my bag, and boarding a moving train.
At Naughton station I engaged a cab.
"Where to?" asked the driver, as he readied down for my bag.
It was the question I had been asking myself all the way in the train.
"That's just it," I said miserably, "I don't know."
He was a sympathetic-looking cabman—not one of the modern type, but the aged director of a thin horse and a genuinely antique four-wheeler.
"It's rather an awkward situation," I explained doubtfully; "you see, Dorice forgot—I mean I'm supposed to be going to a dance somewhere round here. I was told to drive straight to the hall—I don't know what hall."
"That's all right, Sir," answered the sympathetic cabman encouragingly; "you were told to drive straight to the 'all; that'll be Naughton 'All."
He proceeded to awaken the thin horse.
"There is a big do on there to-night, Sir. It's a fair way out, but I'll 'ave yer there in no time."
"My dear good man," I remonstrated nervously, "for heaven's sake don't rush at things like that. Is this particular dance you wish to take me to given by some people named Perry?"
"Perry? Lord! no! Sir John Oakham, lives at Naughton 'All. It's 'is party."
The sympathetic cabman was a little pained at my ignorance.
Dorice had not said who was actually giving the dance.
With vague misgivings I climbed into the cab.
"Go ahead," I said, with my heart in my boots; "drive away and let's get it over."
It was a long drive, and more than once I was nearly killed through hanging my body from the cab window in a vain attempt to catch a glimpse of Dorice in one or other of the motors that passed us on the road.
At Naughton Hall I looked out for her expectantly.
There was not a soul in the room that I knew. In a fit of dreadful panic I began to search desperately. Dorice was nowhere to be found, and the hand started upon the first waltz.
To me it was like a nightmare.
One thing I remember was finding myself dancing with a Miss Giggleswick.
I don't pretend to explain how it happened. As far as I can make out, some hospitably disposed person decided that he was expected to know me and find me a partner.
Anyhow, I danced with a Miss Giggleswick, and also I talked to her.
I asked her very seriously if she knew anything of Dorice.
Miss Giggleswick thought I was referring to some new authoress.
"Yes—yes," she said thoughtfully, "I must have read some of them, but I can't remember which ones—I'm so silly about names."
After a time I pulled myself together, and somehow escaped from Miss Giggleswick. I made my way to the cloakroom, grabbed my coat and bag, and rushed for the front door.
Once outside I ran for my life.
I ran down the drive and along the road towards Naughton.
I floundered on blindly through thick mud and pools of water.
"A fine night!" shouted a cheerful ass as I struggled past him.
I pulled up sharply and peered at him through the darkness.
"A fine night? Oh, yes, it's a fine night," I laughed wildly; "but just tell me one other thing. Is there any other hall in this district except Naughton Hall?"
"Noa—unless of course yer mean Naughton Parish 'All," he added after deep consideration.
"Has anybody ever been known to give a dance there?"
"Ay, I dare say."
With grim determination I clutched my bag and trudged on.
It was late when I crawled up the steps of Naughton Parish Hall.
I threw my things in a corner, scraped some of the mud off my trousers, removed my bow from the back of my neck, and staggered in the direction of the music. A one-step was just over, and the dancers were crowding the foyer.
Dorice appeared with her partner.
I went and stood before her.
"Dorice," I stammered brokenly, "I—I've come."
Dorice excused herself from her partner and took me into a corner.
"Hear me first," I pleaded, utterly crushed. "Hear me first, Dorice. I've done my best. I went to the wrong place. You rang off without giving me the proper address. A blundering villain of a cabman took me to—Naughton Hall. They made me dance with somebody named Giggleswick. I escaped as soon as I could and came here. I ran a lot of the way."
I looked up at her beseechingly.
Then I discovered that my life was not blighted for ever.
Dorice was smiling upon me—yes, smiling! She leant forward eagerly and touched my hand.
"You've been to Naughton Hall!" she whispered delightedly; "but, my dear old boy, it's simply the dance of the season round here! All these people would do anything to get invited. The Perrys only gave this dance so that they could use it as a sort of excuse for not being seen at the Naughton Hall one!"
"Anybody could have gone in my place," I murmured; "I didn't enjoy it at all."
Dorice got up and took hold of my arm.
"Come on," she said with suppressed excitement, "this is splendid!"
She took me through a crowd of people and introduced me to Mr. and Mrs. Perry.
Then she raised her voice.
"He's sorry to be so late," she apologised as loudly as possible, "but you see he was forced to look in at the Naughton Hall ball. However, he got away as soon as he could and came on to us."
Mrs. Perry received me almost with open arms.
"We must try and find you some really good partners," she announced enthusiastically.
"Rather!" echoed Mr. Perry.
It was then close upon midnight. For the two hours of the dance that remained I was the man of the evening.
