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282 "I have often wished I were a man," I say, as we turn back into the drawing-rooms, "but I never wished it as heartily as I do to night. Even that silly-looking boy, propping himself up against the door yonder, is free to choose his partners, while I have to wait until some one or other condescendingly fetches me out."

"But you can always say 'No!

"Not in the face of this half-filled programme," I say, glancing down at it where it sprawls widely open across the front of my dress. "It looks very like an advertisement, does it not?"

"Shall I tell you something," says Paul, looking down upon me with half-pleased, half-vexed eyes. "It is great nonsense; but then you like nonsense, do you not?"

"Yes."

"Well, then, I heard one man say to another, a moment ago—'Does any one know who is that pretty little creature in the poppies?' And the other answered, 'No; but I am determined to be introduced to her before I am half an hour older.

"You are making it up!" I say quickly. "Did you think it would please me?"

"Nell," says Milly's voice beside me, 'I have brought some gentlemen to introduce to you," and she goes through half a dozen introductions and sails away. My card is produced and duly written upon by them all, then they make their bows and retire.

"I should not know one of them again if it were to save my life, so it is to be hoped they will claim me all right," I say with some dismay as they vanish.

"I don't think they will forget," says Paul reassuringly. "And now here comes St. John to fetch you; it was the third round you promised him, was it not?"

"Our dance, I think Miss Adair," says the little man, and I put my hand under his arm and go away, with a rueful look at Paul.

John Peel is ringing forth in glorious fashion as we enter the