"Good gracious!" "What's the matter ?" "Don't you think your relatives----Aren't you expected to go with Mildred--and Mrs.Palmer ?" "Not necessarily.

It doesn't matter what I might be expected to do," he said.

"Will you go with me ?" "I----No; I couldn't." "Why not ?" "I can't.

I'm not going." "But why ?" "Papa's not really any better," Alice said, huskily.

"I'm too worried about him to go to a dance." Her voice sounded emotional, genuinely enough; there was something almost like a sob in it.