Page:Stewart Edward White--The Rose Dawn.djvu/202

190 to help localize his important presence. "You and I will have a dance or so together and I will have a chance to explain to you all about it. It's very simple."

"I shall be very glad," replied Daphne. She was much disappointed in the looks of the celebrated beau; but she was human and feminine and she lived on the Pacific Coast, so she was flattered.

But Kenneth, who had been hovering impatiently in the background, here broke in. Recognition had come to him in a great wave after a moment's puzzle. And with it had come a rush of other emotions, the principal one of which was a relief of spirit. Subconsciously his pride of the young man had nursed a sort of grievance over his having permitted himself to be fooled by a child. This was no child, but a young woman, glorious in her dark, glowing beauty and serene in her self-possession. That magic day on the beach was rehabilitated. He cursed his luck that had permitted him so nearly to fill out his programme; and he blessed it that his duties as host had not allowed him to crowd it full even unto the twelfth extra. Of course he was to lead the Grand March with Dora Stanley, as next door neighbour and best friend, and had engaged the cotillion with Myra.

"May I see your programme next?" he broke in, almost snatching the card from Ben Sansome's hand. "How many may I have?"

She looked at him a deliberate moment, seeming to rebuke his breathless haste; but it was the old beau who answered the question.

"My boy," he wheezed with a fat chuckle, "never ask a woman how many you may have: take what you want and marshal your forces to meet her objections."

"I believe you are right, Mr. Sansome," said Kenneth, flashing one of his charming smiles. "But if I took all I wanted, I would of course take them all," he bowed slightly toward Daphne, who returned his smile. "Since I cannot do that, I will take all I dare."

He glanced rapidly over his own programme and made sundry notes.