“That’s good! Now we can start fresh. Will you save a lot of dances for me to-night?”
“Oh, will there be dancing?” exclaimed Patty, delighted at the prospect.
“Yes, indeed; in the big ballroom. Will you give me all the waltzes?”
Patty looked at him in amazement. “You said you were going to ‘start fresh,’” she said, “and now you’ve certainly done so!”
But the American phrase was lost on the Englishman, who only proceeded to repeat his request.
Meantime, Mr. Snowden was asking Patty for a dance.
“Certainly,” she said, “I shall be pleased to dance with you.”
“You’ll give me more than one dance or you needn’t give me any,” grumbled young Merivale.
“All right,” said Patty, quickly. “Mr. Snowden, I’ve just had a dance ‘returned with thanks,’ so you can have that, if you wish it.”
“I do indeed,” he replied, enthusiastically, and Mr. Merivale relapsed into a sulky silence.