"Miss Lamb's dance?
Which Miss Lamb ?" she asked.
"I don't know--it's the one that's just coming out of mourning." "Oh, Henrietta--yes.

Is her dance so soon?
I'd forgotten." "You'll be there, won't you ?" he asked.

"Please say you're going." Alice did not respond at once, and he urged her again: "Please do promise you'll be there." "No, I can't promise anything," she said, slowly.

"You see, for one thing, papa might not be well enough." "But if he is ?" said Russell.

"If he is you'll surely come, won't you?
Or, perhaps----" He hesitated, then went on quickly, "I don't know the rules in this place yet, and different places have different rules; but do you have to have a chaperone, or don't girls just go to dances with the men sometimes?
If they do, would you--would you let me take you ?" Alice was startled.