‘Did you have a good time at Merricksdale?’ Josephine asked.

‘Not better than usual,’ Hazel answered.

’Danced, didn’t you?  I wanted mamma to have dancing to-night, and she wouldn’t.  She’s so awfully slow!  O Mr. Rollo, do you like dancing?’

‘On anything but my own feet,’ said Rollo.

’Anything but your own feet?  How can you dance on anything but your own feet?’

’My horse’s feet?  Or what do you think of a good yacht and a good breeze?’

’Horrid!  I never want to be in one.  And don’t you like dancing?  O why?  Don’t you, Miss Kennedy? don’t you, Mr. Nightingale?’

‘Depends on the dance,’ said Stuart.  ‘And on my partner.’

’O it don’t signify what partner you have.  In fact, you dance with everybody, you know.  That is the best fun.  Don’t you like the German, Miss Kennedy?’

‘Not with everybody,’ said Miss Kennedy, thinking of possible partners.

’O but you must, you know, in the German—­and that’s the fun.  I don’t think anything else is fun.  Of course the people are all proper.  Don’t you like the German, Mr. Rollo?’

‘I do not dance it.’

’Not? Don’t you?  O why?  You do dance, I know, for I’ve seen you; you waltz like a German, a man, I mean.  Why don’t you dance the German?’

’How does a German—­a man, I mean—­waltz, Miss Phinney? as distinguished from other nationalities?’ Stuart asked.

‘O, different.’

‘Wont you tell us in what way?  This is interesting.’

‘It wont help you,’ said Josephine; ’and you dance well, besides.  A German waltzes slow and elegantly.’

’And other people?’—­

’You may laugh, but it’s true; I’ve noticed it.  An Englishman sways and a Frenchman spins, but a German floats.  O it’s just delicious!  Why dont you dance the German, Dane Rollo?  You’re not pious.’

Rollo did not join in the general smile.  He answered composedly—­

’What I would not let my sister do, Miss Josephine, I am bound not to ask of another lady.’

’Why wouldn’t you let your sister?  You haven’t got one, and don’t know.  But that’s being awfully strict.  I had no idea you were so strict.  I thought you were jolly.’

‘Could you hinder your sister?’ Stuart asked with a slight laugh.  The answer was, however, unhesitating.

‘Why would you hinder her?’ repeated Josephine.

‘Ask Kitty Fisher.’

’Kitty?  Does she know?  And why shouldn’t you tell us as well as her?’

Rollo took Miss Kennedy’s plate at the instant and went off with it.

‘That’s all bosh,’ said Josephine.  ’I like people that are jolly.  The German is real jolly.  Last week we danced it with candles—­it was splendid fun.’

‘Not here?’ said one of the gentlemen.

’Here?  No.  You bet.  My mother is my mother, and nobody ever charged her with being jolly, I suppose.’