They had a few moments of shop, and he talked to Harkless as a brother craftsman, without the offense of graciousness, and spoke of his pleasure in the meeting and of his relief at Harkless's recovery, for, aside from the mere human feeling, the party needed him in Carlow--even if he did not always prove himself "quite a vehement partisan." Macauley laughed.

"But I'm not doing my duty," he said presently; "I was to present you to the pretty ones only, I believe.

Will you designate your preferred fashion of beauty?
We serve all styles." "Thank you," the other answered, hurriedly.

"I met a number last night--quite a number, indeed." He had seen them only in dim lights, however, and except Miss Hinsdale and the widower, had not the faintest recognition of any of them, and he cut them all, except those two, one after the other, before the evening was over; and this was a strange thing for a politician to do; but he did it with such an innocent eye that they remembered the dark porch and forgave him.
"Shall we watch the dancing, then ?" asked Macauley.

Harkless was already watching part of it.
"If you will.