It was clear to her, as she laughed up at him, that all the stories she had heard about him were lies, or at least that he was misunderstood by those who envied him. He was not wild and a flirt and a drinker and a loud talker, as people said — he was not any of those things, he was something else entirely, and she wanted to confide her understanding to him and to show him that he could trust her, but he was making it obvious that he could trust her, and they were dancing too fast for conversation, so she contented herself with saying to him, boldly, that she thought he was a funny man. He looked at her sharply and he looked very pleased, so that for a moment she thought he was going to stop right there on the floor, and he squeezed her hand tightly — that is why she thought they had stopped dancing — and he said, “You’re going to have some explaining to do, young lady. You’re going to have to explain that remark.”

And then they seemed to dance faster than ever, and when the dance ended he swung her around in a half circle so that for the moment she lost her balance, and when she righted herself she laughed very loudly, taking it all in her stride, as though she were accustomed to occasions like this and to the world, and some of the older women nearby turned and glanced at her and then at Jim, and looked away. She knew they thought she was making a show of herself but she did not care. She turned smiling to Jim, thinking he would take her arm and lead her off to sit down where they could have their talk, but instead he smiled affectionately at her and thanked her and walked quickly away. He would be back, she knew, and she began to wait for him. Mr. Lord, with whom she had had the first dance, came up and asked her to be his partner again now, but she told him she was engaged and he smiled and said, “Oh, so that’s the way it is, is it?” and went away.