Alice Adams

twice in one evening: a single repetition, indeed, is weak, and may prove a betrayal. Alice knew that her present performance could be effective during only this in

and although she might have been put to it to give a reason why a

lassy imperturbability; it was easier to be wooden, Alice thought, if you had your mother with you, as Ella had. You were left with at least the shred of a pretense that you came to sit with your mother as a spectator, and not to offer yourself to be dan

faced one another, laughing vaguely, each one of them seeming to Alice no more than so much mean beef in clothes. She wanted to tell them they were no better than that; and it seemed a cruel thing of heaven to let them go on believing themselves young lords. They we

they have gloss bought from manicure-girls, from masseurs, and from automobile-makers; and their eyes, usually large, are glossy. None of this is allowed to interfere with business; these are "good business men," and often make large fortunes. They are men of imagination about two things-women and money, and, combining their imaginings about both, usually make a wise first marriage. Later, however, they are apt to imagine too much about some little woman

ant chair, from which she sharply withdrew her hand. "I might as well use

n't matter one way or the othe

s. I know you think it was funny, after the way I used to come to your house two or three times a week, and sometimes oftener-well, I don't blame you for being hurt, the way I stopped without explaining or anyth

said. "I've never thought

s means well." And, extending his arm, he would have given her a friendly pat upon the shoulder but she evaded

ll of

ly. "Come on and tell us, Alice. Who i

er m

to sit here till he comes b

e back before y

re tuning up, and I've got this dance. I AM coming around to see you some

d not lo

h the absentee for being such a time upon her errand; whereupon the two chairs were instantly seized by a coquetting pair who intended to "sit out" the

the room made an indefinite sojourn impracticable. "Perhaps I could help you with that buckle, Miss," she suggested, approaching. "Has it come loose?" Alice wrenched desperate

ed man stood watchfully in the doorway. "I wonder if you know w

; I kn

tell me w

I could

l him that his sister, Miss Adams, is looki

Sho'ly,

me bursting emotion. In fact, it was too much for him, and he su

ing on the floor, engaged in a game of chance with a second coloured attendant; and the laughter became so ve

xplained. "I cain' he'p it! You sut'n'

ourage, dodged through the scurrying couples, seated herself in a chair on the outskirts of this colony of elders, and began to talk eagerly to the matron nearest her. The matron seemed unaccustomed to so much vivacity, and respon

on, and Alice was grateful for the nods. In this fashion she supplemented the exhausted resources of the dressing-room

ourth or fifth time how the accident had happened. "It was entirely those other people's fault," he said. "They got me in a kind of a corner, because neither of those fellows knows the least

voice. "The maid fixed it so that

en anything the matter. Where do you want to go? Mother's been i

. George Dresser. You m

ssed, whoever cared to look was offered the sketch of a jolly, clever girl preoccupied with her elders. Then s

ly away with the tall applicant. She was not grateful to her hostess for this alms. What a young hostess does with a fiance, Alice

ugh she thought he might have found something to say to her. "I wonder what Mildred told him," she thought. "Probably she said, 'Dearest, there's one more gir

apping that encouraged the uproarious instruments to continue, an

s a friendly soul, it appeared, who probably "liked everybody." No doubt he had applauded for an "e

over, Alice spoke to h

she said. "I think you'd better t

urprised. "

rm and they walked toward Mrs. Dresser, she thought it might be just poss

e said,

e I think possibly he's in a smoking-room or some place where girls are

ly. "Thank you so much for that dance

world in the light of a chaperone for Alice Adams; and she finally made this clear. With a word or two of excuse, breaking into something Alice was saying, she rose and went to sit next to Mildred's mother, who had become the nucleus of the cluste

friend of Mildred's for him to have thought he ought to bother to tell me he couldn't find him," she thoug

boy must have been terribly hard to find. Mildr

y, and went away, leaving the

e said, touching his arm placatively. "I t

rated. "No," he said. "We've stayed THIS long, I'm goin' to wait and see what they got

wh

. Walter Adams?' he says. I guess he must asked everybody in the place if they were Mr. Walter Adams! We

e was

nt was to know. "I was shootin' dice

he sa

I'll dance this one more dance with you. Sup

rning in the front door and hur

n, darling?" she asked. "

the latch for Walter, who had gone to return the little car, she

d, as they reached the door of her daughter's room to

r's arms, sobbing so loudly that in his room, close by, her fath