"Never!"
"Of course not."
"Dear me! Why 'of course'? You speak as if it were the unpardonable sin!" The very words that John had used in speaking of this very subject, yet he disliked this speaker for these words which slipped so smoothly from her pretty lips. All unconscious of this, however, she continued: "I shall be greatly surprised if you are not mistaken. She is from the city, and in cities all the young people dance; the old country ideas on that subject are thought to be absurd. I believe she would like a little refreshment from this dulness, and really I think she looks too sensible to have any such silly notions as some of our deacons indulge. I don't suppose you ever asked her point-blank, did you?"
John did not choose to tell how nearly he had done just this, did not choose to be catechised longer, so he turned from her with this parting sentence—
"If you are anxious about the matter, it is easy enough to ask her; she can speak for herself." And his mental addition was, with a curling lip—"She is one of their Christians!" Though why John Morgan should have any right to pass judgment upon her for disgracing a profession in which he did not believe is more than I can understand. This, however, I know—they nearly all do it.
No sooner was he left to himself than it occurred to him that he had been very emphatic; after all, what ground had he for his positive statements? He recalled the brief conversation which he had held with Louise on the subject; what had she said? Not much besides asking him a question or two. He did not believe that she ever joined in that amusement; he felt positive about it; at the same time he could not have told why he felt so. Suppose he should be mistaken? Suppose they should get up a dance here and now, and she should join them? He grew hot over the thought. "She needn't try to cajole me into her prayer-meetings or organ-mendings after that," he told himself in indignation. But then, John Morgan, why not? You believe in dancing; you know you have sneered at your mother for her views on this subject.
Never mind; whatever he believed, he assuredly did not believe in having this new sister of his take such a position before this public. A desire to have the proof of her own words, added to his feelings, sent him across the room to interrupt that conversation between her and the minister. And though she certainly did not say much, he had turned from her satisfied that "city lady though she was, that pert little yellow-curled girl would find herself mistaken."
Meantime Mr. Butler regarded the lady with a curious blending of amusement and anxiety on his face.
"Your brother has evidently assumed your defence," he said lightly; and then, as if with a sudden resolution to be earnest, he added; "I could find it in my heart to repeat and press the question that has just been asked you if I thought you were willing to enter into the discussion with me. Not—" he added, with a slightly flushing face, as she turned surprised eyes on him, "not as to why you do not dance, for of course your position and mine are answer enough to this question, but as to what reasons you give to others for taking such views of the question. I confess to you frankly that it puzzles me beyond almost any other that I meet, how to explain to those bright young girls and pleasant-faced boys, who gather in this congregational capacity every two weeks, and who are well acquainted with each other, that there is any harm in having a promenade together, for really that is all that the sort of dancing in which they indulge amounts to. Positively, when they say to me, 'What is the harm?' I am nonplussed. I feel the inconsistency, but am at an utter loss how to explain it. Now, may I ask you what you do with such questions when they are asked you?"
"Well," said Louise thoughtfully, "it depends upon the standpoint from which I am to talk; by which I mean there are various presentations of the subject. You do not expect to influence one who has no love for Christ with the same motives that you do an earnest Christian, you know."