"Indeed, girls," Mildred said, her eyes dancing with merriment, "I do like to oblige, but in this instance it is beyond the bounds of possibility. Whatever you may think, Wallace does not want me, nor I him."
"Well, then, all I have to say is that neither of you has good taste. And I'd set my heart on the match," Claudina said in pretended indignation.
Meantime the younger girls were chatting gayly among themselves, flitting lightly from one theme to another—school affairs, pleasure parties, dress, and beaux; teasing each other about the latter, as young girls will.
Zillah and Ada came in for their share. "Which of them was Wallace Ormsby courting?" they were asked.
"Probably both," Ada answered in a tone of irony. "He is a man of original ideas, and doesn't always do things by rule."
"And he knows we can't live apart," added Zillah, blushing and smiling.
"Nonsense! he can't marry you both. Now which of you is it?"
"Suppose you ask him," returned Zillah, the color deepening still more on her cheek.
"I declare I've a great mind to! I believe I'll do it to-night, if I get a chance," returned her tormentor laughingly.
It was the custom for the ladies to come to the society as early in the afternoon as practicable, stay to a plain tea and until nine or ten o'clock in the evening, the gentlemen joining them for the last hour or two—an arrangement which served the double purpose of interesting the latter in the good work in a way to draw forth their contributions, and to provide escorts for the ladies on their homeward walk.