“Oh!” cried Gloria.  King knew then in a flash that she had not expected him, that probably because he had never answered her letter she had forgotten all about it.  Unconsciously he stiffened—­his old gesture before a woman.

But now Gloria came running out to him, her two hands offered, her eyes alight with pleasure.

“You did come,” she said gladly.

Gloria’s escort, obviously holding himself to be privileged through virtue of his briefly temporary office, thrust himself along in her wake.  Him King did not notice; King saw only Gloria.  As of old she set his pulse stirring restlessly with her sparkling, vivid loveliness.  To-night was Gloria’s night; she was eighteen and queen of the world.

“And——­Oh, look!” She let her hands remain in his but her eyes were all for the little brown bundle of fur at King’s feet, that began now to whine and pull back at its chain.  “My birthday present!”

Just now Mark King would have given anything he could think of to have that bear cub back in the woods where it belonged.  He hadn’t had time to analyse impulses; he didn’t know why all of a sudden his gift seemed out of place.  As he let Gloria’s fingers slip through his he looked at the young fellow, a boy of Gloria’s own age, in the doorway.  Perhaps the full evening dress had something to do with King’s new attitude toward his pet.  But now as Gloria, a little timid and holding her skirts back and yet clearly delighted, flashed him her look of understanding and gratitude, he was content.

Gloria remembered to make Mr. King known to Mr. Trimble.  Then King suggested that they take the cub around back and lodge him for the night in the garage.  But Gloria, discovering that she could pat and fondle the little creature, and that he was of friendly disposition, insisted on having him brought into the house for all to see.

“It’s the most delightful present of all!” she whispered to King.

In the hallway they were surrounded by a crowd of the curious.  Girls in pretty dresses, young fellows in black suits, all very exact as to the proper evening appointments.  At first they were disposed to look on King as “the man who brought the cub,” and it was only when Gloria began a string of introductions that they understood.  One and all, they regarded Mark King curiously.

The cub was made much of, and finally led off to the kitchen for sugar and a bed in a box under the table.  Mrs. Gaynor appeared and was “very glad indeed to see Mr. King again.”  Gratton, whom King remembered with small liking, came up and shook hands, and looked at King in a way which did nothing to increase the liking.  Ben, it appeared, had been unable to come this year.  King was sorry for that as he looked about him.  Only now did he remember the violets he had brought for Gloria.