Allen eyed Missy a little dubiously.
"Oh, Mrs. Allen, couldn't I?"
"I don't know--I said I'd bring you home myself."
"Oh, Mrs. Allen! Please!" Missy's eyes pleaded even more than her
voice.
"Well, I don't see why not," decided Kitty's mother, anxious to
return to her own daughter. "Jim will take good care of you, and
Mrs. Bonner will send you all home early."
When Mrs. Allen, accompanied by her nephew, had hurried away, Missy
had an impulse to wander alone, for a moment, out into the
deliciously alluring night. She loved the night always, but just now
it looked indescribably beautiful. The grounds were deserted, but
the lanterns, quivering in the breeze, seemed to be huge live glow-
worms suspended up there in the dark. It was enchantment. Stepping
lightly, holding her breath, sniffing at unseen scents, hearing
laughter and dance music from far away as if in another world, she
penetrated farther and farther into the shadows. An orange-coloured
moon was pushing its way over the horizon, so close she could surely
reach out her hands and touch it!
And then, too near to belong to any other world, and quite
distinctly, she heard a voice beyond the rose arbour:
"Oh, yes! Words sound well! But the fact remains you didn't ask me
for the first dance.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130