Under them the more
romantic and the dance-worn strolled in animated groups or quieter twos;
an army of servants flitted hither and thither, serving the acre or so
of small tables over each of which an electric cluster shed yellow
light.
Supper, and then the Woodland cotillon was the programme; and almost all
the tables were filled before Selwyn had an opportunity to collect Nina
and Austin and capture Eileen from a very rosy-cheeked and indignant boy
who had quite lost his head and heart and appeared to be on the verge of
a headlong declaration.
"It's only Percy Draymore's kid brother," she explained, passing her arm
through his with a little sigh of satisfaction. "Where have you been all
the while?--and with whom have you danced, please?--and who is the
pretty girl you paid court to during that last dance? What? _Didn't_ pay
court to her? Do you expect me to believe that? . . . Oh, here comes
Nina and Austin. . . . How pretty the tables look, all lighted up among
the trees! And such an uproar!"--as they came into the jolly tumult and
passed in among a labyrinth of tables, greeted laughingly from every
side.
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