Evening star., 1921-12-18
r Prue Nickerson's party Prue
was the prettiest thing going.
And Idelane Nobbin was the

that fought for her dances. There
ware more men than maidens there.
but none Of the men would risk
bout with Idalene. who sat alone on
the long row Of empty chairs and
happy and had never expected to be
asked to dance.
Tho caldron Of the dance had not
been stirring long when the guest Of
honor arrived. Phineas Larabee. one
of the few Calverly boys who had
been % sent away to college. had
brought back with him for the vaca-
tion no less a person than Roy Dun
can. the foot ball captain of the team
at Gramlin.
There was wild fiutter among the
Calverly girls when he came into the
hall. Prue left the dance and ran to
greet the great visitor They met at
the banister post and Phineas intro
duced the two with pride In both. for
Roy was his friend and Prue was his
sweetheart. 1t gave him an acute
moment Of anxiety to note the In
stant mutual attraction Of the brave
~
stairs as fast as he could. but not
before Roy had gained the promise OF
the next dance Prue, realizing the
value of making herself difficult. had
accepted the proffer of another swain.
*.k X y
DH1N was perfidious enough to plan
Roys humiliation and he said:
"You don't want to miss this one-step.
I'll give you a knockdown to the best
little dancer in this burg" He led
Roy to the long reef of chairs where
Idalene sat marooned. Phin mumbled
an introduction and Roy asked for
the honor of a dance with all the
flourish of Gramlin. Idalene swooned
upward to her feet and collapsed Into
his arms. Then the duel began. Roy
stepped on Idalene's toes. found her
instep under his heel when it should
have been far away; crossed shins
with her painfully: started in one dl-
rcction as she flung off the other way.
He had not wrestled long before
he realized that the rest of the dane
ers were watching him with delight.
Phin was hung to the balustrade OF
the stairway and rocking with laugh
ter. Even Prue was snickering into
the bosom of her grinning swain.
When the dance was over Roy de-
posted Idalene in her chair, and
thanked her effusively for the pleas
ure of the dance. Then he excused
himself and went in pursuit Of Phin.
He could not find the traitor, who
;,h$ ,,,t hn
dance when he appeared with Prue In
his arms. Roy cut in at once and
used his giants strength to drag
Phin's arms from Prue and take her
to his own.
Oh, the contrast! Prue was round
and rosy and all ALT with grace. He
wanted the next dance and the next.
but she was alive both to the duties
of a hostess and the wiles of siren.
She introduced him to a dozen other
girls, made him share her dances
with them. and drove him frantic
with her elusiveneSs.
1dalene's brief ecstasy was not re-
peated. Roy came near her no more.
and nobody else asked her to dance.
When refreshment time came. no one
fought for her at the dining room
table; no one fetched her chicken
salad or ice cream and cake. Her
wallfiower smile was a burden to her
tired muscles. She longed to dart
from the room and run home where
she could cry in secret. But she had
not the courage of her cowardice.
Phin and Roy were in the upstairs
room again. getting their hats for
departure. Roy had said: Il never
can remember names. But I'm going
to invite that peacherine to the Junior
Prom. Just what was her name? Prue
something wasn't it?"
Phin had planned to take Prue as
his own guest to the most brilliant
social affair Of the Gramlin season.
He answered:
"Prue, That was Prue you danced
with first"
"oh. Lord. that scrambled egg?
whew"
THE girl you mean is named Ida
lene Nobbin." Phin lied on and
spelled the name out as Roy wrote it
on his cuff.
When the postman left an envelope
bearing the name Miss Idalene Mob
bin," Idalene opened it with tremu-
lous thumby fingers.
She held the letter out for whose
would to read, with a feeling of
majesty. The mother and the two
brothers read the letter aloud as a
trio:
Dear Miss Nobbin-Although you
may have forgotten me, will never
forget our dancing together. should
be highly honored if you and your
mother would be my guests at the
Junior Prom on the 18th Of this mo.
I have reserved rooms for you at the
hest boarding house. Please don't
fail!
Yours as ever, \
ROY DUNCAN.
Idalene and her mother went for
the first time to the swellest dress
maker in town. Madamzel Dooley.
whose lair was called on the window
..Ye L'Art shoppe." Mrs. Nobbin
hoped to knock off several dollars by
calling Madamzel by her unprofes-
s!onal name.
"Hah ia do. Mariar; right hot. amt
it? Yes. that's so. Well. say, Ma
riar, Idalene's invited to the Junior !
Prom over at Gramlin, and we was
thinkin' maybe you'd have something
suitable and not too expensive. o
course. Idalene's got some nice
clo'es. O. course, but we thought II
Saa o~r horoojue Univ wo might