"There stands my
teacher," and he pointed to Linton.
"You do credit to your teacher," said Florence. "I should not
have known you were such a novice."
Luke was pleased with this compliment, and very glad that
he had been spared the mortification of breaking down before
the eyes of his ill-wisher, Randolph Duncan. It is hardly
necessary to say that he did equally well in the second
quadrille, though he and Florence were head couple.
The next dance was the Virginia Reel. Here Florence had
Linton for a partner, and Luke secured as his own partner a very
good dancer. From prudence, however, he took his place at some
distance from the head, and by dint of careful watching he
acquitted himself as well as in the quadrilles.
"Really, Luke, you are doing wonderfully well," said Linton,
when the dance was over. "I can hardly believe that you have
taken but one lesson, and that from so poor a teacher as I am."
"I couldn't have had a better teacher, Lin," said Luke.
"I owe my success to you."
"Didn't you say Luke couldn't dance?" asked Sam Noble of
Randolph, later in the evening.
"He can't," answered Randolph, irritably.
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