His eyes were entirely earnest.  Judith smiled, then drew a sudden short breath.  The color deepened in her cheeks, then retreated.

“All right, Douglas!  I’ll go with you!” she said.

Douglas looked at her as if he scarcely believed the evidence of his ears.  Then he flushed.  “Thank you, Judith,” he said.  “Good-night!” and he bolted into the night.

On Saturday evening, old Johnny was restless.  “I have a feeling like I ought to sleep in the chapel,” he said.

“Pshaw!” exclaimed Douglas, who was knotting a wonderful new blue neckerchief around his throat.  “Everybody will be at the party.  You two keep each other company and have the coffee-pot going for me when I get home.”

“Charleton ain’t going to be at the party,” said Johnny.  “I heard Jimmy Day deponing at the post-office to-day that Charleton was still off on a trip.”

Douglas hesitated and looked at Mr. Fowler.  “Go along, Douglas,” said the preacher.  “We’ll bolt the door and no one is going to bother us two old men.  You can’t sit over me like a mother hen all the time, you know.”

“All right,” agreed Douglas.  “I suppose I do act like an old woman.  I’ll be home a little after midnight.”

The dance was in full swing by the time Douglas and Judith reached the hall, with all the Lost Chief familiars present except Charleton.  Inez came with Scott.  The vague feeling of uneasiness that Johnny’s report had given him did not leave Douglas, not even when he swung into his first dance with Judith.  She looked into his eyes mischievously.

“This is nice, Doug, but is it what you call making love?”

Douglas laughed.  “Give me time to find words, Jude!” His arm tightened around her, but his face settled with worried lines.

“What’s the matter, Douglas?” asked Judith.

“I don’t know.  I just have the feeling that something is going wrong.”

“It would be a foolish feeling if Charleton were here,” said Judith.  “But ever since poor old Prince—­you know—­I’ve had the feeling that Charleton was just waiting for a chance to hurt you.”

“Has he said anything to you?” quickly.

“Of course not!  Charleton is clever.  Well, don’t let it spoil your evening, Douglas.  You knew you were courting trouble when you took the preacher in.”

“And I sure have found it!” exclaimed Douglas with sudden cheerfulness.  “If they don’t hurt my old sky pilot, I don’t care.  Come on, Jude, a little more pep, if you please!”

Judith chuckled.  “Ah! perhaps this is your idea of love making!”

“You’ll recognize it all right when I begin,” said Douglas, skilfully steering Jude past his father, who had been visiting the pail in the corner and was swinging Inez in a wild fandango down the center of the room.

Douglas had not the least desire to dance with any one but Judith, and when she danced with other men he wandered uneasily around the room.  About eleven o’clock he missed Scott.  “Where’s Scott gone?” he asked Jimmy.