d, and will you _never_ remember
that black shows against white!"

_He_. "It's awfully hot here; let's go into the garden." [_Exuent_.]

CHAPTER XLVII

Arthur emerged from his hiding-place, horror-struck at hearing what
was being said about him, and wondering, so far as he was at the
moment capable of accurate thought, how long this report had been
going about, and whether by any chance it had reached the ears of the
Bellamys. If it had, the mischief might be very serious. In the
confusion of his mind, only two things were clear to him--one was,
that both for Mildred's and his own sake, he must leave Madeira at
once; and, secondly, that he would dance no more with her that night.

Meanwhile the ball was drawing to a close, and presently he heard the
strains of the last galop strike up. After the band had been playing
for a minute or two, a natural curiosity drew him to the door of the
ball-room, to see if Mildred was dancing with anybody else. Here he
found Lady Florence, looking rather disconsolate.

"How is it that you are not dancing?" she asked.

He murmured something inaudible about "partner."

"Well, we are in the same box. What do you think? I promised this
galop to Captain Clemence, and now there he is, vainly trying to
persuade Mrs. Carr, who won't look at him, and appears to be waiting
for somebody else--you, I should think--to give him the dance. I will
be even with him, though."

Just then the music reached a peculiarly seductive passage.

"Oh, come along!" said Lady Florence, quite regardless of the
proprieties; and, before Arthur well knew where he was, he was
whirling round the room.

Mrs. Carr was standing at the top corner, where the crush obliged him
to slacken his pace, and, as he did so, he caught her eye. She was
talking to Lady Florence's faithless partner, with a smile upon her
lips; but one glance at her face sufficed to tell him that she was in
a royal rage, and, what was more, with himself. His partner noticed
it, too, and was amused.

"Unless I am mistaken, Mr. Heigham, you have come into trouble. Look
at Mrs. Carr." And she laughed.

But that was not all. Either from sheer mischief, or from curiosity to
see what would happen, she insisted upon stopping, as the dance drew
to a close, by Mildred's corner. That lady, however, proved herself
equal to the occasion.

"Mr. Heigham," she said sweetly, "do you know that that was our
dance?"

"Oh, was