Page:Stewart Edward White--The Rose Dawn.djvu/199

Rh and called "extras," one's fate would thus have been cut and dried for the entire evening. Already youths were darting here and there inscribing names on their cards and those of their partners-to-be. The more enterprising were not in such hurry. They had days since bespoken certain dances: it only remained to stroll around and see that the fair ones had properly entered them. As each girl with any claims to popularity appeared in the doorway she was the centre of a rush from all directions.

Sooner or later the couples strolled down to look over the favours spread out on a big table at the end of the room. These were satisfactorily expensive and striking. There were also various mysterious "properties" that had to do with figures in the German.

Only Ben Sansome knew what they were for—Ben and two of the younger men whom he picked to assist him, and with whom he had rehearsed solemnly the more complicated figures. The older people were finding places in the chairs set along the walls. The youngsters wandered into and out of the nooks and corners, spying the lay of the land, admiring the arrangements and the decorations. Behind some tubbed palms in one corner the orchestra was tuning; adding to the suspended thrill of anticipation. Then a ball was "opened" formally; and until it was opened there was no music, and no one shook a foot.

The entrance of the Peytons and Daphne Brainerd was honoured by an instant's total silence, followed by a low buzz. The Colonel was impressive at any time, with his erect, lean figure, his shaven, aristocratic hawk face, and his mop of silver hair. But as he appeared in the doorway to-night his old-fashioned charm was only a foil to the equally old-fashioned charm of the girl on his arm. Mrs. Peyton, with a true eye for effect, had managed to drop a step back on excuse of greeting a friend, leaving the old man and the girl to go in alone. Doña Cazadero had been right: the Spanish gown was not in the mode but was always in style. And Daphne's irregular features, dusky rich colour, and mass of unruly hair added just the captivating touch of incongruity.

Heads were together all over the room. The little receiving line broke its routine of greetings. And Ben Sansome, who