e not enough to thaw her habitual
reserve, there was something strangely familiar in the young man's face
and manner; it almost seemed to Mavis as if she were talking with a
very old friend or acquaintance, which was enough to justify the
unusual levity of her behaviour.

Once or twice, she caught Mrs Hamilton's eye, when she could not help
seeing how her friend was much pleased at the way in which she
attracted Mr Williams.

When he was taking the girl down to dinner, he murmured:

"May I call here often?"

"There's no charge for admission," replied Mavis.

"It wouldn't make any difference to me if there were."

"How nice to be so reckless!"

"I'm a lot in town for the next three months. I want to get as much out
of life as I can."

"From school?"

"Aldershot."

"Are you in the service?"

"Eh!"

"If you are, haven't you any rank at your age?" asked Mavis.

"How do you know I'm not a Tommy?" he asked.

"That's what I thought you were," she retorted.

Mavis and Mrs Hamilton faced each other at table; Williams sat on her
right, Ellis on her left. The conversation at the dinner-table was,
almost exclusively, between the soldier and Mavis. Ellis scarcely spoke
to his hostess, and then only when compelled.

"What will you drink?" asked Mrs Hamilton of Mavis.

"Water, please."

"Water?" echoed Mrs Hamilton.

Mr Ellis looked keenly at Mavis.

"Have some champagne," continued Mrs Hamilton.

"I'd fall under the table if I did. I'll have water. I never drink
anything else," said Mavis.

"I never drink anything else except champagne," retorted Mrs Hamilton.
"Look here, if Miss Devereux drinks water I shall," declared Williams.

"Do. The change will do you good," replied Mavis.

"See what I've let myself in for," said Williams, as he kept his word.

As the servant was about to pour out champagne for Mr Ellis, Mrs
Hamilton said:

"Stop! I've something special for you."

She then whispered to the servant, who left the room to bring back a
curious, old bottle. When this was opened, a golden wine poured into Mr
Ellis's glass, where it bubbled joyously, as if rejoicing at being set
free from its long imprisonment.

As the wine was poured out, Mavis noticed how Mr Ellis's eye caught Mrs
Hamilton's.

The meal was long, elaborate, sumptuous. Mavis wondered when the
procession of toothsome delicacies would stop. She enjoyed herself
immensely; her unaccustomed personal adornment, the cosy room, the
sh