d. "That's not playing the game." He drew her to him,
holding her two wrists. "Daphne! Daphne!" he said. "Still running away?
Do you call that fair?"

She did not resist him, for the moment she felt his touch she knew
herself a captive. The magic force of his personality had caught her; but
she did not give herself wholly to him. She stood and palpitated in his
hold, her head bent low.

"I--I'm not running away," she told him breathlessly. "I was just--just
coming. But--but--shan't we be seen? Your brother--"

"What?" He was stooping over her; she felt his breath upon her neck. "Oh,
Scott! Surely you're not afraid of Scott, are you? You needn't be. I've
sent him off to write some letters. He'll be occupied for an hour at
least. Come! Come! You promised. And we're wasting time."

There was a subtle caressing note in his voice. It thrilled her as she
stood, and ever the soft music drifted on around them, pulsing with a
sweetness almost too intense to be borne.

He held her with the hold of a conqueror. She was quivering from head to
foot, but all desire to free herself was gone. Still she would not raise
her face.

Panting, she spoke. "Yes, we--we are wasting time. Let us go!"

He laughed above her head--a low laugh of absolute assurance. "Are you
too shy to look at me,--Daphne?"

She laughed also very tremulously. "I think I am--just at present. Let us
dance first anyway! Must we go down to the salon? Couldn't we dance in
the corridor?"

His arm was round her. He led her down the passage. "No, no! We will go
down. And afterwards--"

"Afterwards," she broke in breathlessly, "we will just peep at the
moonlight on the mountains, and then I must come back."

"I will show you something better than the moonlight on the mountains,"
said Sir Eustace.

She did not ask him what he meant, though her whole being was strung to a
tense expectancy. He had brought her once more to the heights of Olympus,
and each moment was full of a vivid life that had to be lived to the
utmost. She lacked the strength to look forward; the present was too
overwhelming. It was almost more than she could bear.

They reached the head of the stairs. His arm tightened about her. She
descended as though upon wings. Passing through the vestibule, her feet
did not seem to touch the ground. And then like a golden maze the
ballroom received them.

Before she knew it, they were among the dancers and the magic of her
dream had merged into reality