a newly married niece.

CHAPTER XV

For a day or two, Michael Arranstoun could not make up his mind, when he
heard of the Ebbsworth ball, as to whether or no he ought to go to it.
He had several conversations with Binko upon the subject, and finally
came to the conclusion that he would go. He had grown so desperately
unhappy by this time, that he cared no more whether it were right or
wrong--he must see Sabine. He had not believed that it could be possible
for him to suffer to such a degree about a woman. He _must_ satisfy
himself absolutely as to the fact of her loving Henry.

Rose Forster had written, of course, to ask him to stay in the house for
it--holding out the bait that she had two absolutely charming Americans
coming. So Michael fell--and accepted, not without excusing himself to
Binko as he finished writing out his wire:

Thousand thanks. I will come.

"I am a coward, Binko--I ought to have the pluck to go off to Timbuctoo
and let Henry have a fair field--but I haven't and must be certain
first."

They were all at tea in the library at Ebbsworth when he arrived,
having motored over from Arranstoun after lunch.

Everyone was enchanted to see him, and greeted him with delight. He knew
almost the whole twenty of them, most of whom were old friends.

The hostess took him over to the tea table, and sitting near it in a
ravishing tea-gown was Moravia. Rose Forster introduced him casually,
while she poured him out some tea.

The library was a big room with one or two tall screens, and from behind
the furthest one there came a low, rippling laugh. The sound of it
maddened Michael, and his bold blue eyes blazed as he began to talk to
the Princess. His naturally easy manners made him able to carry on some
kind of a conversation, but his whole attention was fixed upon the
whereabouts of Sabine. She was with Henry, of course, behind that
Spanish leather screen. He hardly even noticed that Moravia was a very
pretty woman, most wonderfully dressed; but he felt she was a powerful
unit in his game of getting Sabine to Arranstoun, and so he endeavored
to make himself agreeable to her.

Presently, in the general move, Lord Fordyce and his lady love emerged
with two other people they had been talking to, and Henry came up to
Michael with outstretched hand.

He was awfully glad to see him, he said. Then this estranged husband
and wife were face to face.

It was a wonderful moment for both of them, an