XI
MRS. HALKET
The social life of Avalon, with which Mrs. Halket had threatened him, engulfed Floyd, Unaccustomed to being sought after, he had for a time a pleased wonder over the universal desire for his company, and not even a winter of almost nightly dining out dulled the edge of expectation and excitement with which he set forth upon each small social adventure. But his unsuspicious gratification over his success and his equally unsophisticated conception of a universal, fundamental kindliness did not endure for very long. He had for a partner at the first cotillion of the winter a poisonous young woman who supplied him with information about others in the room.
"It's funny," she observed. "I did n't think Mr. Bergen would get on the list this year. But there he is. I always like to see him and Sally March at the same place; it's so interesting."
"Why?" aaked Floyd. "Why should n't Bergen have been on the list?"
"Well, you know he's not exactly one of us. Nobody knows much about his father and mother; why, people never even heard of them. They live in a little house off somewhere; they have n't any money. But because Mr. Bergen was such a football player at college some people ask him round. But I did n't suppose he'd get on this list."
"He's a good-looking fellow," said Floyd. "Is n't he a good fellow, as well?"
"I don't suppose he is, quite," replied the girl. "Anyway, he's not one of our crowd. And Sally March can't
