er think of an epicurean tasting some favourite dish and smacking
his lips over it.

A hint of irritation sounded in her voice as she said, drawing slightly
away from him, "Yes, I want to rest for the few hours that are left.
Please say good night now, Ralph! Really I am tired."

He laughed softly, his cheek laid to hers. "Ah, Stella!" he said. "What
a queen you have been to-night! I have been watching you with the rest
of the world, and I shouldn't mind laying pretty heavy odds that there
isn't a single man among 'em that doesn't envy me."

Stella drew a deep breath as if she laboured against some oppression.
"It's nice to be envied, isn't it?" she said.

He kissed her again. "Ah! You're a prize!" he said. "It was just a
question of first in, and I never was one to let the grass grow. I
plucked the fruit while all the rest were just looking at it.
Stella--mine! Stella--mine!"

His lips pressed hers between the words closely, possessively, and again
involuntarily she shivered. She could not return his caresses that
night.

His hold relaxed at last. "How cold you are, my Star of the North!" he
said. "What is it? Surely you are not nervous at the thought of
to-morrow after your triumph to-night! You will carry all before you,
never fear!"

She answered him in a voice so flat and emotionless that it sounded
foreign even to herself. "Oh, no, I am not nervous. I'm too tired to
feel anything to-night."

He took her face between his hands. "Ah, well, you will be all mine this
time to-morrow. One kiss and I will let you go. You witch--you
enchantress! I never thought you would draw old Monck too into your
toils."

Again she drew that deep breath as of one borne down by some heavy
weight. "Nor I," she said, and gave him wearily the kiss for which he
bargained.

He did not stay much longer, possibly realizing his inability to awake
any genuine response in her that night. Her remoteness must have chilled
any man less ardent. But he went from her too encompassed with blissful
anticipation to attach any importance to the obvious lack of
corresponding delight on her part. She was already in his estimation his
own property, and the thought of her happiness was one which scarcely
entered into his consideration. She had accepted him, and no doubt she
realized that she was doing very well for herself. He had no misgivings
on that point. Stella was a young woman who knew her own mind very
thoroughly. She had secured the fine