.

"Why, yes," said Drake; "for if you had changed and I hadn't----"

"But what nonsense we're talking!" said Glory; and they both laughed
again.

Then they told each other what had happened in that infinite cycle of
time which had spun round since they parted. Glory had not much to
narrate; her life had been empty. She had been in the Isle of Man all
along, had come to London only recently, and was now a probationer-nurse
at Martha's Vineyard. Drake had gone to Harrow and thence to Oxford, and,
being a man of artistic leanings, had wished to take up music, but his
father had seen no career in it; so he had submitted--he had entered the
subterranean catacombs of public life, and was secretary to one of the
Ministers. All this he talked of lightly, as became a young man of the
world to whom great things were of small account.

"Glory," said Polly, at her elbow, "the waltz is going to begin."

The band was preluding. Drake claimed the dance, and Glory was astonished
to find that she had it free (she had kept it expressly).

When the waltz was over he gave her his arm and led her into the circular
corridor to talk and to cool. His manners were perfect, and his voice, so
soft and yet so manly, increased the charm. In passing out of the hot
dancing room she threw her handkerchief over her head, and, with the hand
that was at liberty, held its ends under her chin. She wished him to look
at her and see what change this had made; so she said, quite innocently:

"And now let me look at you again, sir!"

He recognised the dark-brown spot on her eye, and he could feel her arm
through her thin print dress.

"You've told me a good deal," he said, "but you haven't said a syllable
about the most important thing of all."

"And pray what is that?" said she.

"How many times have you fallen in love since I saw you last?"

"Good gracious, what a question!" said Glory.

His audacity was delightful. There was something so gracious and yet so
masterful about him.

"Do you remember the day you carried me off--eloped with me, you know?"
said Drake.

"I? How charming of me! But when was that, I wonder?" said Glory.

"Never mind; say, do you remember?"

"Well, if I do? What a pair of little geese we must have been in those
days!"

"I'm not so sure of that--_now_,'" said he.

"You didn't seem very keen about me _then_, as far as I can remember,"
said she.

"Didn't I?" said he. "What a silly young fool I must have been!"