band vocalist, and he insisted on buying me a drink. You remember my old pal, Willie, don't you?"

"Suro, I remember Willie," Roxanre replied. She also rememborod that Willie Thomas had been singing most of the time, and had been in full view of the audience during the time that Jack was gone.

"Would you care to dance?"

"Love to," Roxanne murmured mechanically as she rose from her cmir.

The music changed from fast tempo to something slow and len guid. The dancing couples swayed slowly back and forth around the floor. Roxanne closed her eyes, her thoughts a million miles away. "This is boring," she thought.

A slight collision with another couple on the crowded floor made Roxanne open her eyes again. "Oops, sorry!" Jack hastily apologized.

Roxanne 's gaze became focussed on Jack's velvet pirate jacket. A single rod hair adhered there. "That Lawrence girl!" she thought viciously and then, more rationally, "why, it could have come from any of the dancers passing by." Roxanne knew better, though.

The music ended and they made their way back to their table. A waiter hesitated near them and peered at Jack's mask.

"Mr. Jack Grandon? I was told that this was your table."

"Yes, I'm Jack Grandon."

"Telephono call for you, sir."

"Thanks. Will you excuse me a minute?"

The "minute" turned out to be about half an hour. Roxanne petulantly toyed with the melting ice in her glass and searched the milling crowd for Jack.

"He would have to wear a pirate costume," she fumed. At

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