Page:Stewart Edward White--The Rose Dawn.djvu/200

188 had been standing at the end, turned and approached the group of which Boyd was the centre. They saw him bend a little stiffly from the hips acknowledging the introduction, and reach his pudgy hand for the dance card that dangled from Daphne's wrist. She passed it to him instantly, blank as it had come from the engraver's. Ben Sansome smiled at it, and looked up to meet direct, grave eyes.

"I should have said you were like that," he murmured. "It shows in all you wear so exquisitely; the look of your eyes upon all these others."

Daphne did not at all understand the speech; but she was no fool, so she smiled enigmatically. She had never been to a formal ball before, and so did not know that young ladies were accustomed to scribble random initials opposite all vacant dances in order to avoid the appearance of unpopularity. Later, of course, those initials could be erased as partners proposed themselves.

"I will put myself down for the Grand March, if I may," continued Ben Sansome. That wily and experienced warrior had not yet chosen his partners, for he did not know the society of Arguello—and no intention of contenting himself with anything second rate. He well knew that any girl present would "bolt" any engagement she might have to give him any dance he requested. It must be repeated that no one could quite have told why this was so. Ben Sansome was and had always been an idler. He had wasted every talent and opportunity he might have possessed. He looked like an obese pug dog. He drank too steadily; and, though he never disgraced himself in public, he got beastly drunk among men at the clubs. His conversation was hardly enlivening. He sold champagne for a living, inferior champagne which people bought because they were afraid he would be offended if they did not serve it when he dined with them: he always examined the labels! Other men looked upon him with good-natured contempt. Yet there is no doubt that he ruled San Francisco society. During the season three big balls were given in the name of charity, or what not. Ben Sansome attended to all the details of these balls, and of course made out the list of those who were to be