We arrived during that humming hash which comes just after a number, and every one stared impolitely, and some of them not overcordially.

I began to wonder if we hadn't done a rather ill-bred thing, to hurl ourselves so unceremoniously into the merrymakings of the enemy; but I comforted myself with the thought that the dance was given as a public affair, so that we were acting within our technical rights--though I own that, as I looked around upon our crowd, ranged solemnly along the wall, it struck me that we _were_ a bit spectacular.
She was there, chatting with some other women, at the far end of the hall, and if she saw me enter the room she did not show any disquietude; from where I stood, she seemed perfectly at ease, and unconscious of anything unusual having occurred.

Old King I could not see.
A waltz was announced--rather, bellowed--and the boys drifted away from me.

It was evident that they did not intend to become wall flowers.

For myself, it occurred to me that, except my somewhat debatable acquaintance with Miss King, I did not know a woman in the room.