Actually trying to--to"--Travis
hesitated--"to make a scandal about her."
Condy bounded in his seat. "Beast, cad, swine!" he exclaimed.
"I didn't think," said Travis, "that Carter would so much as dare
to ask me to dance with him--"
"Did he? did--did--"
"Wait," she interrupted. "So I wasn't at all prepared for what
happened. During the german, before I knew it, there he was in
front of me. It was a break, and he wanted it. I hadn't time to
think. The only idea I had was that if I refused him he might
tell some dirty little lie about me. I was all confused--mixed
up. I felt just as though it were a snake that I had to humor to
get rid of. I gave him the break."
Condy sat speechless. Suddenly he arose.
"Well, now, let's see," he began, speaking rapidly, his hands
twisting and untwisting till the knuckles cracked. "Now, let's
see. You leave it to me. I know Carter. He's going to be at a
stag dinner where I am invited to-morrow night, and I--I--"
"No, you won't, Condy," said Travis placidly. "You'll pay no
attention to it, and I'll tell you why. Suppose you should make a
scene with Mr. Carter--I don't know how men settle these things.
Well, it would be told in all the clubs and in all the newspaper
offices that two men had quarreled over a girl; and my name is
mentioned, discussed, and handed around from one crowd of men to
another, from one club to another; and then, of course, the papers
take it up.
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