"Don't you know? That is Charlie Gilbert, Maud's brother."
"So he knows Mark, too."
"Why shouldn't he?"
"Because Mark is—you will be surprised to hear it—a common telegraph boy."
"He may be a telegraph boy, but he certainly is not a common one. He is a nice-looking fellow, and I am glad to know him."
Presently dancing began. In his earlier days, when his father was living, Mark had taken lessons from a teacher, and though he was rather out of practise he ventured to go out on the floor, having as his partner one of the prettiest girls in the room.
As there was space for but two sets of dancers, Edgar was obliged to sit still and see the others dance. He felt very much dissatisfied especially as Mark seemed to be enjoying himself thoroughly.
"Society in New York seems to be very much mixed," he said to himself, "when telegraph boys can push in and make themselves so conspicuous in rich men's houses."
Edgar got a chance to dance once later on, but the girl he danced with was very small and insignificant in appearance.