Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/245

 Ferguson to join him with his regiment from King's Mountain."

"Where my great-grandfather was drawing around him his cordon of death with his fierce mountain men!" interrupted Gaston.

"Was your great-grandfather in that battle?"

"Yes, it was fought on his land, and his two-story log house with the rifle holes cut in the chimney jambs still stands."

"Then we will shake hands again," she cried with enthusiasm, "for we are both children of the Revolution!"

Gaston took her beautiful hand in his and held it lingeringly. Never in all his life had the mere touch of a human hand thrilled him with such strange power, How long he held it he could not tell but it was with a sort of hurt surprise he felt her gently withdraw it at last.

They had reached the parlour again, and he slowly fell into an easy chair.

"Do you dance, Miss Sallie?"

"Why yes, don't you dance?"

"Never tried in my life."

"Don't you approve of dancing?"

"I never had time to think about it. It always seemed silly to me."

"It's great fun."

"I'd take lessons if you would agree to teach me, and I could dance with you all the time, and keep all the other fellows away."

"Well, I must say that's doing fairly well for a timid young man's first day's acquaintance. What will you say when you once become fully self-possessed?" She lifted her high arched eyebrows and looked at him with those blue eyes full of tantalising fun until he had to look