"I hear the first notes of the band," she said. "If we do not hasten they will make up the dance without me."
Valchester bowed and offered her his arm just as Walter Earle came hurrying up.
"Miss Lina, will you give me the first dance?" he said; "you owe it to me, indeed, for I taught you your first steps last year. Do you remember?"
"As though it were yesterday," she replied, with a smile, as she put her slight hand on his arm.
In the whirl of the dance Valchester bent his tall head over her a moment to ask, almost pleadingly:
"Will you give me the next dance, Miss Meredith?"
"Yes," she answered, as their hands met a moment in the giddy turn.
She did not guess how long it seemed to Valchester before the next dance came.
Walter Earle took her to her seat and lingered beside her until his friend availed himself of the first notes of the music to come and lead her away.