Colville that she liked playing.
She shook her head when Bevis came for his fourth dance.
"_Please_ get another partner! I'm busy here! Mrs. Glyn Williams
will find you somebody!"
Whereupon Bevis, muttering very uncomplimentary remarks about his hostess
under his breath, deliberately passed by several eligible wallflowers,
chose out the youngest child in the room, and led her off in a valse.
Merle, who was still an absolute schoolgirl and revelled in anything in
the nature of a party, enjoyed her evening supremely. Mavis was very glad
when it was all over and she was quiet in bed. Some new element seemed to
have entered to-night into her old happy world and to have rubbed the
bloom off her innocent friendship with Bevis.
"It was so jolly in the old days when we hunted for primroses and had
picnics in Blackthorn Bower!" she thought. "It's not ourselves who have
changed, but other people who won't allow us to be the same. Why couldn't
things go on as they were? If this is society I don't like it! Oh, dear!
I wish we could always stay exactly as we are and never grow up at all!"
CHAPTER X
The Mumps
When the Christmas holidays were over, a very important decision was
arrived at with regard to Clive.
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