"We'll be late. There go Maurice and Marjorie
now."
A glittering car spun by, disclosing briefly a genre picture of Marjorie
Jones in pink, supporting a monstrous sheaf of American Beauty roses.
Maurice, sitting shining and joyous beside her, saw both boys and waved
them a hearty greeting as the car turned the corner.
Penrod uttered some muffled words and then waved both arms--either in
response or as an expression of his condition of mind; it may have
been a gesture of despair. How much intention there was in this
act--obviously so rash, considering the position he occupied--it
is impossible to say. Undeniably there must remain a suspicion of
deliberate purpose.
Della screamed and Sam shouted. Penrod had disappeared from view.
The delayed dance was about to begin a most uneven cotillon when Samuel
Williams arrived.
Mrs. Schofield hurriedly left the ballroom; while Miss Rennsdale,
flushing with sudden happiness, curtsied profoundly to Professor Bartet
and obtained his attention.
"I have telled you fifty times," he informed her passionately ere she
spoke, "I cannot make no such changes. If your partner comes you have to
dance with him. You are going to drive me crazy, sure! What is it? What
now? What you want?"
The damsel curtsied again and handed him the following communication,
addressed to herself:
"Dear madam Please excuse me from dancing the cotilon with you
this afternoon as I have fell off the barn
"Sincerly yours
"PENROD SCHOFIELD.
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