“I’m happy to find you here, Miss Morgan,” he responded, as they shook hands; “I felt rather strange.”
“Oh, we’ll soon make you at home.” She turned to her partner, whom she had momentarily forgotten. “You know Mr. Davis, of course.”
“Why, hello, Dick,” said Fred, warmly; “I didn’t see you.”
“You got here, did you?” replied Dick, rather coolly; “we thought you’d took to the woods as usual.”
“What!” said Alta, “why Fred’s not like that one bit. He’s the jolliest fellow I know. Let’s make him acquainted with everybody.” And Alta began to pass the introduction to those immediately about them. Dick, nettled at being thus suddenly dropped from first place in her attentions, made early opportunity to slip out of the group, and stalk to the crowd of cowboys around the door, while Alta went on merrily to tell her friends how Fred had helped her land a trout and win a bet with her uncle.
The manager checked the fish story by announcing a waltz. A moment later Dick looked up to see Alta on Fred’s arm, walking around the room. The sight stung his pride. To have Fred thus slip in between them, as the boys in their bantering had said he would, and to hear her speak to him with such a friendly air, was too much to stand calmly.
“How did they get so well acquainted?” was the thought that puzzled him.
He had not heard the fish talk or he might have guessed. He anticipated the fun that the other boys would have at his expense; for he had caught Jim taking in the situation gleefully. Yet despite the suddenness of the upset, Dick gathered himself quickly; and to show that he “didn’t care a rap,” marched smartly across the room to Sally Johnson and asked her to dance with him. Sally was only too glad of the chance. Then the music began. It was “The Roses Waltz,” Uncle Toby’s favorite tune, and he played it well.
Dick’s efforts to create a sensation fell short of their mark. Alta and Fred had forgotten all else in the delight of the dance. They were gliding about the room with trippingly graceful step to the pretty melody and enjoying each other.
“Why, you dance so easily!” said Alta, as the music ended.