“Our little squaw is smashing things, Berke,” remarked Roy Garnett, later in the evening, as he joined his brother-in-law in the recess by the fireplace.  “The men all swear she’s the handsomest woman in the room—­and on my soul I believe they’re right.”

“She does look well,” responded Mason with all a brother’s calm moderation.  “Her dress is in good taste, and she moves gracefully.  But she isn’t the handsomest woman in the room by long odds.  Look at Norma Smith.”

“I have looked at her,” retorted Roy shortly, “and so I suppose have the other men.  There’s no more comparison between her and Princess than there is between a gorgeous, striped tulip, and a white tea rose.” (For some inscrutable reason Roy had never been able to endure Norma, and even grudged acknowledgment of her undeniable beauty).  “Look at that fellow Thorne, now!” he added, with the pleased alacrity of one producing an unexpected trump, “I should say that he shared my opinion.  He hasn’t danced voluntarily with another woman in the room, nor left her side a moment that he could help.  It looks as though he were pretty hard hit, doesn’t it?”

Garnett was right; for after the episode with Jim Byrd’s flowers, Thorne had thrown self-control to the winds.  He danced with Pocahontas as frequently as she would allow him, hovered constantly in her vicinity, and only lost sight of her when dragged off by his aunt for duty dances.  Twice during the evening—­and only twice—­did he leave her voluntarily, and then it was to dance with Norma, whose suspicions he did not wish to arouse.  The instinct of rivalry had overthrown all restraint and for this evening he was madly determined to let things take their course.  They were here, he and his family, in Jim Byrd’s place; living in the house that had been his, entertaining the friends that had been his, in the very rooms that so short a time ago had echoed to his footsteps and resounded with his laugh.  He had been thrust aside, and must continue to stand aside; the past had been his, let him keep out of the present; let him beware how he marred the future.  And for the bond that held himself, Thorne had forgotten all about it.  In his passion and excitement it was a thing without existence.

Later in the evening, there came a gleam of brightness for little Blanche; a blissful hour which indemnified her for the boredom so unflinchingly endured.  As Norma only did what pleased her, most of the drudgery of entertaining fell upon Blanche, whose grievous portion it was to attend to the comfort of dowagers; to find partners for luckless damsels unable to find them for themselves, and to encourage and bring out bashful youths.  As the latter considered that the true expression of their gratitude lay in devoting themselves exclusively and eternally to their pretty little preceptress, Blanche had lately come to hold this part of her duty a wearisome affliction.