in, to her infinite relief. At once he bustled up to her.
"Hello, Peggy," he greeted her. "Think I'd never get here? Neither did I. Hertz got sick and my clothes weren't done." He calmed down a little and added somewhat shyly, "And here's something I got for you. If I can't have you for a partner, I can at least show you I'm thinking about you."
She was more pleased than she could tell him. She pressed her pretty face into the flowers and inhaled their fragrance. She looked tenderly over them at Harold and smiled.
"Thank you ever so much, Harold," she said simply. "I love flowers. And I appreciate your thoughtfulness."
He gazed back at her, his deep regard for her showing in his candid blue eyes. In that moment he had a wish just to stay there with Peggy, to bask in her loveliness, to forget the dance.
But in the next moment Dan Sheldon had discovered him. Hustling up to "Speedy" the Sophomore greeted him effusively. Dan clapped upon the head of the Freshman one of the elaborate cone-shaped paper hats with streamers that many of the other guests were wearing. He led Harold out of the lobby to the entrance to fairyland.
