What had Ronald Valchester, the gifted, thoughtful student, read in the lovely, innocent face of the simple girl that had prompted him to offer her passion-flowers for her type?
Walter Earle looked surprised, but he set it down as one of Valchester's odd freaks, and told Jaquelina that the flowers were very becoming.
Violet said that roses would have looked prettier. Then she gathered some dewy violets and pinned them on his coat with pretty, careless coquetry.
"Lina, we are going to have a dance on the lawn," said the latter. "Do you like to dance?"
"No," said Jaquelina, and the fitful color came and went in her cheeks.
"Why not?" Violet said, surprised.
"Because I do not know how to dance," Jaquelina said, so timidly and naively that Walter Earle and Ronald Valchester laughed. Then Walter said, good-naturedly:
"Oh, that is nothing. You must dance with me. I will show you how to do the steps and the figures."
"You are sure I shall not appear awkward?" she asked, her sensitive pride on the alert.
"You could not be awkward if you tried ever so hard," said the gallant young collegiate, captivated by the artless shyness and prettiness of the little girl whom at first he had only meant to patronize.