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           Isabellehadwalkedwithanartificialgaitatnineandahalf,andwhenhereyes,wideandstarry,proclaimedtheingenuemost.Amorywasproportionatelylessdeceived.Hewaitedforthemasktodropoff,butatthesametimehedidnotquestionherrighttowearit.She,onherpart,wasnotimpressedbyhisstudiedairofblasésophistication.Shehadlivedinalargercityandhadslightlyanadvantageinrange.Butsheacceptedhispose—itwasoneofthedozenlittleconventionsofthiskindofaffair.Hewasawarethathewasgettingthisparticularfavornowbecauseshehadbeencoached;heknewthathestoodformerelythebestgameinsight,andthathewouldhavetoimprovehisopportunitybeforehelosthisadvantage.Sotheyproceededwithaninfiniteguilethatwouldhavehorrifiedherparents.

           Afterthedinnerthedancebegan...smoothly.Smoothly?—boyscutinonIsabelleeveryfewfeetandthensquabbledinthecornerswith:"Youmightletmegetmorethananinch!"and"Shedidn’tlikeiteither—shetoldmesonexttimeIcutin."Itwastrue—shetoldeveryoneso,andgaveeveryhandapartingpressurethatsaid:"Youknowthatyourdancesaremakingmyevening."

           Buttimepassed,twohoursofit,andthelesssubtlebeauxhadbetterlearnedtofocustheirpseudo-passionateglanceselsewhere,foreleveno’clockfoundIsabelleandAmorysittingonthecouchinthelittledenoffthereading-roomup-stairs.