iana, Harry's
daughter, must keep the peace. Perhaps, after all, Philip loves her--as
many men and boys do. That may help England. Oh, _what_ shall help
England?'

She raised her head--the masked head that seemed to have nothing to do
with the busy feet--and stared straight at the children.

'I think this is rather creepy,' said Una with a shiver. 'I wish she'd
stop.'

The lady held out her jewelled hand as though she were taking some one
else's hand in the Grand Chain.

'Can a ship go down into the Gascons' Graveyard and wait there?' she
asked into the air, and passed on rustling.

'She's pretending to ask one of the cousins, isn't she?' said Dan, and
Puck nodded.

Back she came in the silent, swaying, ghostly dance. They saw she was
smiling beneath the mask, and they could hear her breathing hard.

'I cannot lend you any my ships for the venture; Philip would hear of
it,' she whispered over her shoulder; 'but as much guns and powder as
you ask, if you do not ask too----' her voice shot up and she stamped
her foot thrice. 'Louder! Louder, the music in the gallery! Oh, me, but
I have burst out of my shoe!'

She gathered her skirts in each hand, and began a curtsy. 'You will go
at your own charges,' she whispered straight before her. 'Oh, enviable
and adorable age of youth!' Her eyes shone through the mask-holes. 'But
I warn you you'll repent it. Put not your trust in princes--or Queens.
Philip's ships'll blow you out of water. You'll not be frightened? Well,
we'll talk on it again, when I return from Rye, dear lads.'

The wonderful curtsy ended. She stood up. Nothing stirred on her except
the rush of the shadows.

'And so it was finished,' she said to the children. 'Why d'you not
applaud?'

'What was finished?' said Una.

'The dance,' the lady replied offendedly. 'And a pair of green shoes.'

'I don't understand a bit,' said Una.

'Eh? What did _you_ make of it, young Burleigh?'

'I'm not quite sure,' Dan began, 'but----'

'You never can be--with a woman. But----'

'But I thought Gloriana meant the cousins to go back to the Gascons'
Graveyard, wherever that was.'

''Twas Virginia afterwards. Her plantation of Virginia.'

'Virginia afterwards, and stop Philip from taking it. Didn't she say
she'd lend 'em guns?'

'Right so. But not ships--_then_.'

'And I thought you meant they must have told her they'd do it off their
own bat, without getting her into a row with Philip. Was I right?'

'Near