“I've got to get her home at once,” Mrs. Allen went on. “I hate to take you away just when your good time's beginning, but—”
“Why does she have to go?” Jim broke in. “I can take you and Kitty home, and then come back, and take her home after the party's over.” He gave a little laugh. “You see that gives me an excuse to see the party through myself!”
Mrs. Allen eyed Missy a little dubiously.
“Oh, Mrs. Allen, couldn't I?”
“I don't know—I said I'd bring you home myself.”
“Oh, Mrs. Allen! Please!” Missy's eyes pleaded even more than her voice.
“Well, I don't see why not,” decided Kitty's mother, anxious to return to her own daughter. “Jim will take good care of you, and Mrs. Bonner will send you all home early.”
When Mrs. Allen, accompanied by her nephew, had hurried away, Missy had an impulse to wander alone, for a moment, out into the deliciously alluring night. She loved the night always, but just now it looked indescribably beautiful. The grounds were deserted, but the lanterns, quivering in the breeze, seemed to be huge live glow-worms suspended up there in the dark. It was enchantment. Stepping lightly, holding her breath, sniffing at unseen scents, hearing laughter and dance music from far away as if in another world, she penetrated farther and farther into the shadows. An orange-coloured moon was pushing its way over the horizon, so close she could surely reach out her hands and touch it!
And then, too near to belong to any other world, and quite distinctly, she heard a voice beyond the rose arbour:
“Oh, yes! Words sound well! But the fact remains you didn't ask me for the first dance.”