ent to meet those who had entered. Lady
Verner's greeting was a somewhat elaborate one, and he looked round
impatiently for Decima.

She stood in the shade behind her mother. Decima? Was _that_ Decima?
What had she done to her cheeks? They wore the crimson hectic which were
all too characteristic of Sibylla's. Sir Edmund took her hand.

"I trust you are well?"

"Quite well, thank you," was her murmured answer, drawing away the hand
which had barely touched his.

Nothing could be more quiet than the meeting, nothing more simple than
the words spoken; nothing, it may be said, more commonplace. But that
Decima was suffering from some intense agitation, there could be no
doubt; and the next moment her face had turned of that same ghastly hue
which had startled her brother Lionel when he was handing her into the
carriage. Sir Edmund continued speaking with them a few minutes, and
then was called off to receive other guests.

"Have you forgotten how to dance, Edmund?"

The question came from Miss Hautley, disturbing him as he made the
centre of a group to whom he was speaking of his Indian life.

"I don't suppose I have," he said, turning to her. "Why?"

"People are thinking so," said Miss Hautley. "The music has been
bursting out into fresh attempts this last half-hour, and impatience is
getting irrepressible. They cannot begin, Edmund, without you. Your
partner is waiting."

"My partner?" reiterated Sir Edmund. "I have asked nobody yet."

"But I have, for you. At least, I have as good as done it. Lady
Constance----"

"Oh, my dear aunt, you are very kind," he hastily interrupted, "but when
I do dance--which is of rare occurrence--I like to choose my own
partner. I must do so now."

"Well, take care, then," was the answer of Miss Hautley, not deeming it
necessary to drop her voice in the least. "The room is anxious to see
upon whom your choice will be fixed; it may be a type, they are saying,
of what another choice of yours may be."

Sir Edmund laughed good-humouredly, making a joke of the allusion. "Then
I must walk round deliberately and look out for myself--as it is said
some of our royal reigning potentates have done. Thank you for the
hint."

But, instead of walking round deliberately, Sir Edmund Hautley proceeded
direct to one point of the room, halting before Lady Verner and Decima.
He bent to the former, speaking a few words in a joking tone.

"I am bidden to fix upon a partner, Lady Verner. May it