ter a little, reluctantly,
with clenched teeth, he faced it. Had she by some means discovered that
which he had so studiously hidden from her all this time? He cast his
mind back. Had he ever inadvertently betrayed himself? He knew he had
not. Never since her marriage had he given the faintest sign; no, not
even on that fateful afternoon when she had clung to him in anguish of
soul and he had held her fast pressed against his heart. He had been
strictly honourable, resolutely loyal, all through. He had always held
himself in check. He had never forgotten, never relaxed his vigilance,
never once been other than faithful, even in thought, to the friend who
trusted him. Yet--Max's words recurred to him, piercing him as with a
stab of physical pain--without doubt women had a genius _incroyable_ for
discovering secrets. And if Chris were indeed a woman--was it not
possible--

Again her laugh broke in upon his thoughts, and he turned swiftly in the
direction whence it came. She was standing not more than a dozen yards
from him, a red whirl of fire all about her, in her hand a whizzing,
spitting-aureole of flame. The light flared upwards on her face and
gleaming hair. She looked like some fire-goddess, exulting over the
radiant element she had created. And, like a sword-thrust to his heart,
there went through him the memory of her standing poised like a bird on
the prow of a boat. Just so had she stood then; just so, goddess-like,
had she exulted in the morning sunshine and the sparkling water; just so
had her bare arms shone on the day that first he had consciously
worshipped her, on the day that she had told him of her desire to find
out all the secrets that there were. Ah! how much had she found out since
then--his bird of Paradise with the restless, ever-fluttering wings? How
much? How much?

A sudden cry banished his speculations--a cry uttered by her voice, sharp
with dismay. "Oh, Noel! My sleeve!"

Before the words were past her lips Bertrand had leaped forth to the
rescue. He traversed the distance between them as a meteor hurling
through space. But even so, ere he reached her, the filmy lace that hung
down from her elbow had blazed into flame. She had dropped the firework,
and it lay hissing on the ground like a glittering snake. He sprang over
it and caught her in his arms.

She cried out again as he crushed her to him, cried out, and tried to
push him from her; but he held her fast, gripping the flaming material