As they went back, toward Nelly’s table, where Jack Landis was trying to appear carelessly at ease, the face of Donnegan was pale.  One might have thought that excitement and fear caused his pallor; but as a matter of fact it was in him an unfailing sign of happiness and success.  Landis had manners enough to rise as they approached.  He found himself being presented to the smaller man.  He heard the cool, precise voice of Donnegan acknowledging the introduction; and then the red-headed man went back to his table; and Jack Landis was alone with Nelly Lebrun again.

He scowled at her, and she tried to look repentant, but since she could not keep the dancing light out of her eyes, she compromised by looking steadfastly down at the table.  Which convinced Landis that she was thinking of her late partner.  He made a great effort, swallowed, and was able to speak smoothly enough.

“Looked as if you were having a pretty good time with that—­tramp.”

The color in her cheeks was anger; Landis took it for shame.

“He dances beautifully,” she replied.

“Yeh; he’s pretty smooth.  Take a gent like that, it’s hard for a girl to see through him.”

“Let’s not talk about him, Jack.”

“All right.  Is he going to dance with you again?”

“I promised him the third dance after this.”

For a time Landis could not trust his voice.  Then:  “Kind of sorry about that.  Because I’ll be going home before then.”

At this she raised her eyes for the first time.  He was astonished and a little horrified to see that she was not in the least flustered, but very angry.

“You’ll go home before I have a chance for that dance?” she asked.  “You’re acting like a two-year-old, Jack.  You are!”

He flushed.  Burning would be too easy a death for Donnegan.

“He’s making a laughingstock out of me; look around the room!”

“Nobody’s thinking about you at all, Jack.  You’re just self-conscious.”

Of course, it was pouring acid upon an open wound.  But she was past the point of caution.

“Maybe they ain’t,” said Landis, controlling his rage.  “I don’t figure that I amount to much.  But I rate myself as high as a skunk like him!”

It may have been a smile that she gave him.  At any rate, he caught the glint of teeth, and her eyes were as cold as steel points.  If she had actually defended the stranger she would not have infuriated Landis so much.

“Well, what does he say about himself?”

“He says frankly that he’s a vagrant.”

“And you don’t believe him?”

She did not speak.

“Makin’ a play for sympathy.  Confound a man like that, I say!”

Still she did not answer; and now Landis became alarmed.

“D’you really like him, Nelly?”

“I liked him well enough to introduce him to you, Jack.”

“I’m sorry I talked so plain if you put it that way,” he admitted heavily.  “I didn’t know you picked up friends so fast as all that!” He could not avoid adding this last touch of the poison point.