Sadly he went from house to house, finding that he had been preceded in one after the other.

Altogether his hand for the cotillon was declined eleven times that afternoon on the legitimate ground of previous engagement.

This, with Marjorie, scored off all except five of the seventeen possible partners; and four of the five were also sealed away from him, as he learned in chance encounters with other boys upon the street.
One lady alone remained; he bowed to the inevitable and entered this lorn damsel's gate at twilight with an air of great discouragement.

The lorn damsel was Miss Rennsdale, aged eight.
We are apt to forget that there are actually times of life when too much youth is a handicap.

Miss Rennsdale was beautiful; she danced like a premiere; she had every charm but age.