a most conventional and inevitable
character. Now, automatically but a little tactlessly, we all turned to
see what Dolly and Robin were going to do. From the standpoint of the
last two toasts they were certainly in a rather delicate position.

"Come on, you two!" commanded Gerald. "Do something! Make a spring!"

Robin took up his glass of champagne and turned rather inquiringly to
Dolly.

Without a word she linked her arm in his, and they drank together.

"Oh, come, I say, that's not fair! Whose health were you drinking,
Robin, old man?" inquired the tactless Dicky.

"I was drinking to the future Mrs Fordyce--whoever she may be!" said
Robin, obviously apologetic at being unable to think of anything more
sparkling.

"Whose health were _you_ drinking, Dolly?" yelled Gerald, with much
enjoyment.

Then Dolly did a startling thing.

Robin's hand lay resting on the table beside her. Into it she
deliberately slipped, her own; and then gazed--flushed and defiant, but
proud and smiling--round a circle composed entirely of faces belonging
to people suffering from the gapes.

I glanced at Robin. He looked perfectly dumfounded, but I saw his hand
close automatically round Dolly's fingers, and I saw, too, her pink
nails go white under the pressure.

But Dolly seemed to feel no pain. On the contrary, she continued to
smile upon us. Then, bowing her head quickly, before any of us realised
what she would be at, she lightly kissed the great hand which imprisoned
her own. Then she looked up again, with glistening eyes.

"There!" she said. "_Now_ you know!"

Our breath came back, and the spellbound silence was broken.

"_Dolly_!" said Kitty.

"My _dear_!" said Dilly.

"What--_ho_!" drawled Dicky.

But it was Gerald who rounded off the situation. He was standing on the
table by this time.

"Three cheers for Dolly and Robin!" he roared.

We gave them, with full throats. (Fortunately we were a long way from
Phillis's room.)

After that we all sat down again, feeling a little awkward, as people do
when they have taken the lid off their private feelings for a moment.
Finally Kitty led off with--

"But, Dolly, dear, why didn't you tell us? When was it?"

"I didn't tell you before," said Dolly composedly, "because it has only
just happened--this moment."

"Only this moment? But----"

"Do you mean to say he hasn't _asked_ you? Oh----"

"Are you asking _him_?"

The questions came simultaneously from all parts of