“I’m going to get the first dance with you, and to make sure I’ll just take it now, please.”
“Don’t you like my dress?” asked Helen, twirling around on her toe before Dr. Wright, whose eyes plainly showed that he not only liked the dress but what was in the dress rather more than was good for the peace of mind of a rising young nerve specialist.
“Lovely!” he exclaimed, not looking at the dress at all, but at the charming face above the dress.
“Douglas gave it to me for a birthday present,—it was her extravagance, not mine. I think she is about the sweetest thing in all the world. The only thing that worries me is mashing it all up in the Suttons’ hay wagon.”
“Are the roads so very bad? Why not go in my car?”
“They are pretty bad, but no worse than the road from Richmond. It certainly is strange how that road changes. It was fine when the agent brought us out here to see the place. Wasn’t it?”
“It was, but I don’t think it is such a very bad road now. It may be because I like to travel on it. But come on and go with me in my car. If you will trust your dress and neck to me.”
“I will, since you put my dress first! Somehow that makes me feel you will be careful of it and respect it.”
A rattle of wheels and Billy Sutton came driving up in a great hay wagon filled with nice, clean straw, and close on his heels were Mr. and Mrs. Sutton in their carriage, which was to take Mr. and Mrs. Carter sedately to the ball.