Indeed, he had half forgotten that he was a public figure in The Corner, and sitting sipping the cordial which big George brought him at once, he let his glance rove swiftly around the room.  The eye of more than one brave man sank under that glance; the eye of more than one woman smiled back at him; but where the survey of Donnegan halted was on the face of Nelly Lebrun.

She was crossing the farther side of the floor alone, unescorted except for the whisper about her, but seeing Donnegan she stopped abruptly.  Donnegan instantly rose.  She would have gone on again in a flurry; but that would have been too pointed.

A moment later Donnegan was threading his way across the dance floor to Nelly Lebrun, with all eyes turned in his direction.  He had his hat under his arm; and in his black clothes, with his white stock, he made an old-fashioned figure as he bowed before the girl and straightened again.

“Did you send for me?” Donnegan inquired.

Nelly Lebrun was frankly afraid; and she was also delighted.  She felt that she had been drawn into the circle of intense public interest which surrounded the red-headed stranger; she remembered on the other hand that her father would be furious if she exchanged two words with the man.  And for that very reason she was intrigued.  Donnegan, being forbidden fruit, was irresistible.  So she let the smile come to her lips and eyes, and then laughed outright in her excitement.

“No,” she said with her lips, while her eyes said other things.

“I’ve come to ask a favor:  to talk with you one minute.”

“If I should—­what would people say?”;

“Let’s find out.”

“It would be—­daring,” said Nelly Lebrun.  “After last night.”

“It would be delightful,” said Donnegan.  “Here’s a table ready for us.”

She went a pace closer to it with him.

“I think you’ve frightened the poor people away from it.  I mustn’t sit down with you, Mr. Donnegan.”

And she immediately slipped into the chair.

27

She qualified her surrender, of course, by sitting on the very edge of the chair.  She had on a wine-colored dress, and, with the excitement whipping color into her cheeks and her eyes dancing, Nelly Lebrun was a lovely picture.

“I must go at once,” said Nelly.

“Of course, I can’t expect you to stay.”

She dropped one hand on the edge of the table.  One would have thought that she was in the very act of rising.

“Do you know that you frighten me?”

“I?” said Donnegan, with appropriate inflection.

“As if I were a man and you were angry.”

“But you see?” And he made a gesture with both of his palms turned up.  “People have slandered me.  I am harmless.”

“The minute is up, Mr. Donnegan.  What is it you wish?”

“Another minute.”

“Now you laugh at me.”

“No, no!”