drawn
near to each other from the opposite sides of the earth, and each
started at the touch of it, and withdrew a pace in bewilderment, and
some fear.

"I wish," Mount Dunstan was feeling throughout the evening, "that her
eyes had some fault in their expression--that they drew one less--that
they drew ME less. I am losing my head."

"It would be better," Betty thought, "if I did not wish so much that he
would come and ask me to dance with him--that he would not keep away so.
He is keeping away for a reason. Why is he doing it?"

The music swung on in lovely measures, and the dancers swung with it.
Sir Nigel walked dutifully through the Lancers once with his wife, and
once with his beautiful sister-in-law. Lady Anstruthers, in her new
bloom, had not lacked partners, who discovered that she was a childishly
light creature who danced extremely well. Everyone was kind to her, and
the very grand old ladies, who admired Betty, were absolutely benign
in their manner. Betty's partners paid ingenuous court to her, and Sir
Nigel found he had not been mistaken in his estimate of the dignity his
position of escort and male relation gave to him.

Rosy, standing for a moment looking out on the brilliancy and state
about her, meeting Betty's eyes, laughed quiveringly.

"I am in a dream," she said.

"You have awakened from a dream," Betty answered.

From the opposite side of the room someone was coming towards them, and,
seeing him, Rosy smiled in welcome.

"I am sure Lord Mount Dunstan is coming to ask you to dance with him,"
she said. "Why have you not danced with him before, Betty?"

"He has not asked me," Betty answered. "That is the only reason."

"Lord Dunholm and Lord Westholt called at the Mount a few days after
they met him at Stornham," Rosalie explained in an undertone. "They
wanted to know him. Then it seems they found they liked each other. Lady
Dunholm has been telling me about it. She says Lord Dunholm thanks
you, because you said something illuminating. That was the word she
used--'illuminating.' I believe you are always illuminating, Betty."

Mount Dunstan was certainly coming to them. How broad his shoulders
looked in his close-fitting black coat, how well built his whole strong
body was, and how steadily he held his eyes! Here and there one sees a
man or woman who is, through some trick of fate, by nature a compelling
thing unconsciously demanding that one should submit to some domineering
attraction. O