morrow. He always has a bad day after a good one—especially after such a good one as this is."
"But if this time it should be different," Russell persisted; "wouldn't you be willing to come—if he's better by to-morrow evening? Why not wait and decide at the last minute?"
She waved her hands airily. "What a pother!" she cried. "What does it matter whether poor little Alice Adams goes to a dance or not?"
"Well, I thought I'd made it clear that it looks fairly bleak to me if you don't go."
"Oh, yes!" she jeered.
"It's the simple truth," he insisted. "I don't care a great deal about dances these days; and if you aren't going to be there———"
"You could stay away," she suggested. "You wouldn't!"
"Unfortunately, I can't. I'm afraid I'm supposed to be the excuse. Miss Lamb, in her capacity as a friend of my relatives———"
"Oh, she's giving it for you! I see! On Mildred's account you mean?"
At that his face showed an increase of colour. "I suppose just on account of my being a cousin of Mildred's and of———"
