"I can't tell you, so
don't enquire. But all the same--well, there, I won't say more if you
are sure there is nothing between you."
"I have the best of reasons for saying so," said Stafford, carelessly,
and with a touch of colour in his face. "But it's all dashed nonsense!
The women always think there's something serious going on if you dance
twice with a girl, or sit and talk to her for half an hour."
"Right!" said Howard, rising. "There's the bell!"
As Howard had said, there was an air of suppressed excitement about the
people; and it was not confined to the financiers who clustered
together in the hall and discussed and talked in undertones, every now
and then glancing up the stairs down which Sir Stephen would presently
descend. Most of the other guests, though they had no direct and
personal interest in the great scheme, more or less had heard rumours
and come within reflective radius of the excitement; as for the rest,
who knew nothing or cared less for Sir Stephen's railway, they were in
a pleasant condition of excitement over the coming dance.
Stafford, as he stood in the hall talking about the night's programme
to Bertie--who had been elected, by common and tacit consent, master of
the ceremonies--saw Maude Falconer descending the stairs.
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