128 THE HAUGHTYSHIRE HUNT. 



pleasure to confer upon me the next ; the supper dance, is 

 it not ? " 



" Afraid you're too late, Baron. Miss Binkie has promised 

 to go into supper with me," replied Ronald smilingly. 



Now, Monsieur le Baron had not failed to notice Ronald's 

 marked attention to Penelope throughout the evening, and, as 

 a matter of fact, had overheard the conversation we have just 

 recorded, relative to the supper engagement, and thought it 

 high time to intervene. So, conveniently ignoring Ronald's 

 remark, he grimaced anew, and said — 



" Mademoiselle will give me the dance? " 



" I'm afraid I can't. I have promised to go into supper 

 with " 



" Ah, but Monsieur will excuse you. Monsieur must excuse 

 you ! " and the little man excitedly offered his arm to the 

 embarrassed Penelope, who looked from one to another in 

 manifest alarm that there would be an explosion. 



" Not quite so fast, Monsieur le Baron. Miss Binkie is the 

 person to decide." 



" Sare, wish you to make me the insult ? You do not fright 

 me, sare, I can assure you ; I am not a frightful man," and 

 the Baron swelled out his chest and looked very fierce indeed. 



" Well, that's a matter of opinion into which we need not 

 enter now," replied Ronald drily, alluding to the concluding 

 portion of Stepitoff's sentence, whilst Penelope was divided 

 equally between a desire to laugh and an inclination to cry. 

 What the trouble might have eventuated in it is impossible to 

 say, but just at this moment the ever tactful Duke interfered 

 by calling to the Baron to come and be introduced to Miss 

 Comely. This ended a somewhat strained situation, and five 



