Everybody laughed, and his wife said majestically: "My dear, you are very absurd." But she did not appear seriously displeased.
"I don't understand," remarked Helen; "what did she say yes to?" and this of course brought down the house.
After supper was over they danced and played games till, all too soon, the evening was over.
"Good times never last quite long enough," Louise said, as her uncle was arranging for the farewell Virginia reel.
"I thought they lasted the year around," remarked Mr. Caruth, who stood beside her.
"I mean special ones," she answered gayly, as she went off with him to take her place, leaving Ikey rather crestfallen.
The others had quickly paired off: Carl and Dora, Aleck and Bess, Jim and Elsie, Will and Constance. Elsie called "Tucker" aggravatingly as she passed.
"Anyway, I didn't want to dance with her," he said to himself.
Miss Hazeltine was playing for them, and Aunt Marcia sat with Miss Brown looking on; Aunt Zélie stood in the doorway.
She smiled at Ikey when he looked in her direction, saying: "Do you want a partner?"