much I
have enjoyed this evening. It will stand out in my memory as unlike any
other I have ever spent. I shall often recall it when I am back in
town."

"When--when are you going back?" asked Esmeralda, with an anxiety which
she made no effort to conceal. "Not very soon, I hope. Jack goes to-
morrow, and that is quite enough at one time. Oh, I do hate the end of
the Christmas season! Everyone seems to go away. In a fortnight or so
Pixie will be off, and Mademoiselle with her. It has been so delightful
having a visitor in the house, and she has been so kind and useful. She
made most of the things on the table to-night,--all those pretty iced
cakes."

"Ah, yes! Very clever, I'm sure," said Hilliard absently. It was easy
to see that he had no attention to spare for Mademoiselle or her
confectionery, and presently he added in a lower tone, "There is no
immediate hurry for my return. I can just as well stay another three or
four days, but I must be back in town before this day week. I fear
there is no getting out of that."

"Glue?" queried Esmeralda saucily. They were sitting together at a
little table behind most of the other guests, and she lay back in her
chair looking up at him with a roguish smile. "Glue?"

"Glue principally. It is a very--er--engrossing occupation," returned
Hilliard, nobly resisting the inclination to pun; "but I think it could
manage without me for a few days longer, and perhaps we could have
another ride together. There is a meet somewhere near the day after to-
morrow. Shall you be there?"

Esmeralda hesitated, seized with a sudden mysterious disinclination to
say "No," a desperate longing to say "Yes," and yet--and yet,--how could
it decently be done?

"I--don't know! It's Bridgie's turn. We have only one horse between
us, and I have been the last three times. I don't like to ask her
again. It seems so mean."

"But if you did ask, she would let you go. She would not mind taking
her turn later on?"

"Oh no, or not at all, for the matter of that. There's nothing Bridgie
wouldn't give away if anyone else wanted it. She's an angel. It's just
because she's so sweet that I'm ashamed to be selfish."

"I can understand that, but--just for once! If you were to ask her very
nicely to change places with you this time, because--because--er--"--
Hilliard hesitated and pulled his moustache in embarrassment--"because
you--"

"Yes, that's just it. What can I say? Becau