The flag was to be presented to the volunteers at the close of the evening, and Tom came for that--so he claimed to his accusing soul.
He entered unobserved and made his way, keeping close to the wall, to where Mrs.Bareaud sat, taking a chair at her side; but Robert Carewe, glancing thither by chance, saw him, and changed countenance for an instant.

Mr.Carewe composed his features swiftly, excused himself with elaborate courtesy from Miss Chenoweth, with whom he was talking, and crossed the room to a corner near his enemy.

Presently, as the music ceased, the volunteers were bidden to come forward, whereupon Tom left Mrs.Bareaud and began to work his way down the room.

Groups were forming and breaking up in the general movement of the crowd, and the dissolving of one brought him face to face with Elizabeth Carewe, who was moving slowly in the opposite direction, a small flock of suitors in her train.
The confrontation came so suddenly and so unexpectedly that, before either was aware, they looked squarely into each other's eyes, full and straight, and both stopped instantly as though transfixed, Miss Betty leaving a sentence forever half-complete.

There was a fierce, short vocal sound from the crowd behind Vanrevel; but no one noticed Mr.
Carewe; and then Tom bowed gravely, as in apology for blocking the way, and passed on.
Miss Betty began to talk again, much at random, with a vivacity too greatly exaggerated to be genuine, while the high color went from her cheeks and left her pale.