"Did you ever know _him_ cowardly?" I asked.
I was sure that Preston coloured; whether with any feeling beside anger I could not make out; but the anger was certain.
"What do you?" I rejoined. But Preston changed more and more.
"Daisy, promise me you will not have anything to do with these fellows. You are too good to dance with them. There are plenty of Southern people here now, and lots of Southern cadets."
"Mr. Caxton is one," I said. "I don't like him."
"He is of an excellent Georgia family," said Preston.
"I cannot help that. He is neither gentlemanly in his habits, nor true in his speech."
Preston hereupon broke out into an untempered abuse of Northern things in general and Northern cadets in particular, mingled with a repetition of his demands upon me. At length I turned from him.
"This is very tiresome, Preston," I said; "and this side of the house is very warm. Of course I must dance with whoever asks me."
"Well, I have asked you for this evening," he said, following me.
"You are not to go," I said. "I shall not dance with you once," and I took my former place by Mrs. Sandford. Preston fumed; declared I was just like a piece of marble; and went away. I did not feel quite so impassive as he said I looked.
"What are you going to wear to-night, Daisy?" Mrs. Sandford asked presently.
"But you must know soon, my dear. Have you agreed to give your cousin half the evening?"
"No, ma'am I could not I am engaged for every dance, and more."
"Preston has reason!" she said, laughing. "But I think, Daisy, Grant will be the most jealous of all. Do him good. What will become of his sciences and his microscope now?"
"Why, I shall be just as ready for them," I said.
Mrs. Sandford shook her head. "You will find the hops will take more than that," she said. "But now, Daisy, think what you will wear; for we must go soon and get ready."
I did not want to think about it. I expected, of course, to put on the same dress I had worn the last time. But Mrs. Sandford objected very strongly.
"You must not wear the same thing twice running," she said; "not if you can help it."
"It is quite nice enough," I urged. "It is scarcely the least mussed in the world."
"People will think you have not another, my dear."