ed her head into her hands, and in the silence and darkness
of their box burst into tears. And so, for the first and last time, Peter
heard her really weep.

He said foolish man-things to comfort her. She looked up at last,
smiling, her brown eyes challengingly brave through her tears, "Peter,
forgive me," she said. "I shouldn't be such a damned fool! You never
thought I could be like that, did you? But it was so superbly done,
I couldn't help it. It's all over now--all over, Peter," she added
soberly. "I want to sit in the lounge to-night for a little, if you don't
mind. Could you possibly get a taxi? I don't want to walk."

It was difficult to find one. Finally Peter and another officer
made a bolt simultaneously and each got hold of a door of a car that
was just coming up. Both claimed it, and the chauffeur looked round
good-humouredly at the disputants. "Settle it which-hever way you like,
gents," he said. "Hi don't care, but settle it soon."

"Let's toss," said Peter.

"Right-o," said the other man, and produced a coin.

"Tails," whispered Julie behind Peter, and "Tails!" he called.

The coin spun while the little crowd looked on in amusement, and tails it
was. "Damn!" said the other, and turned away.

"A bad loser, Peter," said Julie; "and he's just been seeing
_Carminetta_, too! But am I not lucky! I almost always win."

In the palm lounge Julie was very cheerful. "Coffee, Peter," she said,
"and liqueurs."

"No drinks after nine-thirty," said the waiter. "Sorry, sir."

Julie laughed. "I nearly swore, Peter," she said, "but I remembered in
time. If one can't get what one wants, one has to go without singing. But
I'll have a cigarette, not to say two, before we've finished. And I'm in
no hurry; I want to sit on here and pretend it's not Saturday night. And
I want to go very slowly to bed, and I don't want to sleep."

"Is that the effect of the theatre?" asked Peter. "And why so different
from last night?"

Julie evaded. "Don't you feel really different?" she demanded.

"Yes," he said.

"How?"

"Well, I don't want to preach any sermon to-night. It's been preached."

Julie drew hard on her cigarette, and blew out a cloud of smoke. "It has,
Peter," she said merrily, "and thank the Lord I am therefore spared
another."

"You're very gay about it now, Julie, but you weren't at first. That play
made me feel rather miserable too. No, I think it made me feel small.
Carminetta was great, wasn't she? I do