el jealous,
and I trust I succeeded?"

"I am not going to tell you," said Myra, raising her eyelids to flash
another alluring and provocative glance at him. "Unless there is love,
there can hardly be jealousy. If I were desperately in love with a man
who did not care for me, or pretended he did not, I should not have the
heart to try to make any other man fall in love with me. How can you
expect me to believe you are really in love with me, Carlos, when I see
you constantly making love to other women?"

"Darling, give me but a chance to prove my love," Don Carlos breathed;
then quick-wittedly began to talk about salmon fishing as two or three
other guests approached.

Myra did not give him another opportunity to talk to her alone during
the rest of the evening, but she contrived to tantalise and puzzle him
further, nevertheless. She pleaded tiredness when he asked her to
dance after dinner, but danced with other men, and she was unusually
affectionate in her manner towards Tony when she thought Don Carlos was
watching her, which was often.

"I say, Myra, darlinest, you're looking lovelier and more adorable than
ever, and I feel bewitched and enraptured," Tony whispered to her as
she took his arm and gave it an affectionate little squeeze after a
dance.

"I am trying to make up for being horrid about Don Carlos, Tony dear,"
explained Myra. "Now I have come to my senses, I am going to let the
delightful man make love to me as much as he likes, and play him at his
own game... Let's sit the next dance out in the conservatory, Tony."

She had seen Don Carlos wander into the conservatory, and the imp of
mischief that possessed her was prompting her to find new ways of
teasing and testing him. The conservatory was in semi-darkness, but as
Myra entered with Tony she located Don Carlos, for he happened to
strike a match at that moment to light a cigarette, before seating
himself in a dark corner.

"Let's find a dark corner, Tony," said Myra, and guided her fiance
close to where Don Carlos was sitting--close enough to be sure that the
Spaniard would be able to overhear anything she said. "The man who
loves me doesn't seem to realise that I want to be kissed," she
resumed. "You may kiss me, Tony."

"Darling!" exclaimed the delighted Tony, taking her in his arms and
kissing her. "I have been longing to kiss you all evening, sweetheart,
but thought you might object even if I got a chance."

"You silly men don't