"Now comes the supper," said Mona, "and I'm glad of it. Come on,
girls."
The long dining hall at the club was a pretty sight. The guests
were all in their Pageant costumes, and as the various float
groups mingled, the contrasts were effective. A Venetian gondolier
escorted a fisher girl of the Seine, or a bold buccaneer from the
Spanish Main clanked his sword in time with the clatter of the
wooden sabots of a Holland lass.
Neptune was waiting to escort the Spirit of the Sea to a table,
but as Patty came through the dressing-room door, Captain Sayre
bowed before her, and asked the honour of taking her to supper. As
Farnsworth had made no engagement with Patty, merely taking it for
granted that she would go with him, she saw no reason to decline
Captain Sayre's invitation, and went gaily away with him.
Farnsworth gazed after her with a look of dazed bewilderment.
"Had you asked her?" said an amused voice, and turning, he saw
Mrs. Parsons at his elbow.
"No! I was too stupid to think of it!"
"Patty is so very popular, you know, it's difficult to secure her
favours. Have you engaged any dances?"
"No! What an idiot I am! You see, Mrs. Parsons, I'm not really a
'society man,' and in these formal affairs, I'm a bit out of my
element.
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