"What, all alone! I thought your hand was promised for every dance up to five o'clock."
"I believe I'm engaged to some one now, but I declare I don't know who it is. I dare say he has forgotten."
"Ah, yes; people do get confused a little just about this time. Will you come and sit down?"
"Thank you, I should like that. But, Mrs. Cornbury, when you're ready to go away, I am,—quite ready."
"Go away! Why I thought you intended to dance at least for the next two hours."
In answer to this, Rachel declared that she was tired. "And, Mrs. Cornbury, I want to avoid that man," and she pointed out Mr. Griggs by a glance of her eye. "I think he'll say I'm engaged to him for the next waltz, and—I don't like him."
"Poor man; he doesn't look very nice, certainly; but if that's all I'll get you out of the scrape without running away." Then Mr. Griggs came up, and, with a very low bow, struck out the point of his elbow towards Rachel, expecting her immediately to put her hand within it.
"I'm afraid, sir, you must excuse Miss Ray just at present. She's too tired to dance immediately."
Mr. Griggs looked at his card, then looked at Rachel, then looked at Mrs. Cornbury, and stood twiddling the bunch of little gilt playthings that hung from his chain. "That is too hard," said he; "deuced hard."
"I'm very sorry," said Rachel.