"It's a shame to let that kid work in the halls," said Miss Labelle. There were tears in her eyes, too, and she hurriedly blinked them away.
Then the curtain fell. Men were clearing the floor for the dance, so, bidding the lady adieu, I went downstairs.
CHAPTER IV
I found the Youth awaiting me.
"Say, pardner," said he, "I was just getting a bit anxious about you. I thought sure that fairy had you in tow for a sucker. I'm going to stay right with you, and you're not going to shake me. See!"
"All right," I said; "come on and we'll watch the dance."
So we got in the front row of spectators, while behind us the crowd packed as closely as matches in a box. The champagne I had taken had again aroused in me that vivid sense of joy and strength and colour. Again the lights were effulgent, the music witching, the women divine. As I swayed a little I clutched unsteadily at the Youth. He looked at me curiously.
"Brace up, old man," he said. "Guess you're not often in town. You're not much used to the dance-hall racket."
"No," I assured him.