him, and you have said yes."

Now the rosy colour flooded the girl's face until even her ears were
pink; but her grey eyes met his frankly, and when she spoke her voice
rang happily.

"You've guessed my secret very quickly," she said, relieved
unconsciously by his calm manner and friendly tone. "Yes. Mr. Cheniston
asked me to marry him an hour ago, and I agreed. And so, as he wants to
be married almost at once, I shall have to prepare myself to live in
Egypt, for a time at least."

"I don't think you need dread the prospect," he said, and his voice was
creditably steady, though the world seemed to be crashing down in ruins
around him. "Egypt must be a wonderfully fascinating country, and
nowadays one doesn't look upon it as a land of exile. When do you think
you will be going, Miss Wayne?"

"Well, Bruce has to be back in November," she said, "so if we are really
to be married first"--again the rosy colour flooded her face--"it
doesn't give me much time to get ready."

"No. I suppose I ought to congratulate you." He was beginning to feel he
could not bear this torture much longer. "At least--it is Cheniston who
is to be congratulated. But you--I can only wish you all possible
happiness. I _do_ wish it--from the bottom of my heart."

He held out his hand and she put her slender fingers into it. For just
the fraction of a second longer than convention required he held them in
his clasp; then he laid her hand down gently on her filmy chiffon knee.

"Miss Wayne"--he spoke rather hoarsely--"I wonder if you will think me a
bear if I run away after this dance? I would not have missed these few
minutes with you for anything the world might offer me; but somehow I am
not in tune with gaiety to-night."

She shot a quick glance at his haggard face; and even in the midst of
her own happy excitement she felt a vivid impulse of sympathy.

"Dr. Anstice, I'm so sorry." Just for an instant she laid her fingers
gently on his arm; and the light touch made him wince. "You said when
you came in that you had been detained, and you looked so serious I
thought it must have been something dreadful which had kept you. I don't
wonder you find all this"--she waved her small white fan comprehensively
round--"jars upon you--now."

"Yes," he said, snatching at the opening she gave him, and longing only
for the moment when he might say good-bye and leave her adorable,
maddening presence. "It jars, as you say--not because it isn't all
deligh